City of Blessed Blood
by zoepeanut
Summary: AU. Zeref is the creator of demons, an immortal man seeking death. In one of the few living worlds that remain, he encounters a race of beings with magic, being lead by an angel to fight back against the demons. When all hope is lost, he brings them to another world for their last stand, where wizards ally with shadowhunters to defeat Acnologia, the strongest demon ever created.
1. The Demon Emperor

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of The Mortal Instruments or Fairy Tail

Zeref was ancient, far older than any being in existence in any dimension. Few remembered his name, that he was the creator of all demons. After years of life, of immortality, he grew bored of continuing on, seeking out one final thing. He wished to create something powerful enough to end his life, and this was what resulted in the creation of demons.

The first group born gave him hope, seeing powerful creatures born with toxins capable of destroying anyone and disguises capable of fooling even Zeref himself. Still, when he faced all nine of them at once, seeking death and an end to his life, Zeref still healed and survived all wounds he received. This first group ultimately became what is now known as the Nine Princes of Hell, commonly believed to be fallen angels due to their sheer amount of power. Few realize their true origin, that Zeref created them and they, in turn, created the lesser demons.

When their power proved insufficient, Zeref looked towards another demon, one that he believed would have the power capable of destroying him. At this point, among the demon realms, Zeref had become known for his power. He was given the title of the Demon Emperor, one he thought little of. Perhaps he did have the power and strength of the demons, some of his own power being imbued into each life form he created, but that did not mean he wished to rule over them. He preferred solitude, being isolated and in peace with only his own thoughts to keep himself company.

His most powerful creation was one that was never heard about in other dimensions, not due to a lack of power, but due to a lack of survivors to tell tales of its existence. Acnologia, resembling the form of a _dragonidae_ demon, was far more powerful than any of its lesser counterparts, even capable of destroying the Princes of Hell if he so chose. Instead of doing so, Acnologia simply wished to create mass chaos and destruction, seeking to destroy the barrier between dimensions even within the Void, to steal life from world after world. Even in the brief battles that occurred between Acnologia and Zeref, the most either of them could obtain was a draw, leaving Zeref feeling empty and hollow.

Currently, he was sitting in one of the few realms left untouched by Acnologia's wrath, one that still contained life of some form to fight back against the demons he had created. The area was serene, not unlike his recent visit to the realm where demons had been invading, starting war against those known as Shadowhunters there just like they did with the living beings of all realms. Zeref had seen it countless times, the endless war all of his kind lived with. He had enjoyed those battles at one point, gaining brief joy from being unstoppable when he invaded a realm on his own. Now, war only seemed pointless to him, all of that effort poured into battling with nothing gained in the end. He had no need to take more lives, and mortals were not capable of destroying one such as him.

Zeref gazed around calmly, seeing trees around him along with strange creatures. Each dimension seemed to have its own unique brand of animals, but the mortals always looked the same to him. All of them, flesh toned with hair on their heads, and walking on two legs. It was the form Zeref had taken to using for himself, not wishing to startle any that may come across him on his visits to living realms. These places were the only escape he had, the only place where he could wait to try and put an end to his greatest mistake. Acnologia was not meant to be born, something Zeref now realized. That demon would destroy life in all dimensions, and no one could stand against him, not even the Demon Emperor himself.

This was why Zeref was seeking more power, though he had yet to find it. He had heard rumors of powerful beings, of angels capable of tasks just as otherworldly as demons, but it was unlikely for Zeref to gain their aid. Instead, Zeref was trapped in an endless cycle, forced to watch as world after world fell into death and ruin from Acnologia's wrath. Thus, he had quite a dark outlook on life, and part of him still longed to join the dead. He had given up hope on such a thing occurring, but it did not mean that death was not his end goal.

It was in this dimension that he first met her, that he first forgot his pain. He had been wandering aimlessly, observing the world calmly around him before finding himself in a small town. People had gathered there, all waiting around a house that seemed to be designed like some type of club building. Fairy Mavis was written on a sign above the door, and just in front of the house stood a young girl with long blond hair. A crowd had gathered around her, blocking most of Zeref's view of the girl, but he could still see hints of a pink dress, and blond hair on her head. It was another pointless mortal meeting, people gathering to find hope just before the true war began.

"She's here! Fairy Mavis is about to speak!" One of the townspeople cried, as Zeref sighed, closing his eyes and deciding to move on. At least, he planned on doing so until he sensed something, a power that he had not noticed before. All of these people around them, there was some strange energy within their bodies. Glancing back over to the girl in front of them, who was now standing on a platform of some kind to elevate her, Zeref now saw her hands raise to the sky.

"Good morning, citizens of Magnolia! How have we fared in our war today? Did you follow my advice? I told you all, if you create strong bonds with your friends and focus on your heart, you will always be capable of finding the strength necessary to defeat any foe. Your feelings will empower your magic, this is the nature of the blessing I have given you all!" the girl, likely this Mavis that had been mentioned, declared.

Magic was not unheard of to Zeref, an art often practiced by the beings known as warlocks in a different dimension. That had been an ability born of their demonic heritage, however, making it strange that such a power would appear here. Demons had only recently begun invading this world, the walls between this realm only now weak enough for the lesser demons to cross over. The more powerful demons rarely went to the effort to go to the mortal realms these days, getting more pleasure from ruling over their own domains now that many realms had perished and left them with places to call home.

Mavis turned around the crowd, smiling brightly until her gaze landed on Zeref, gazing at him with a slight frown. "Who is this? Do we have a new citizen in our fair city?" Mavis asked, making others turn to see Zeref. This was not what he wanted, especially not now. He needed to stay hidden, to keep his presence concealed while he studied the ways of this world. He had not yet learned enough to come up with a new method to attempt to stop Acnologia this time.

Mavis saw his startled expression, the way he warily backed away from the crowd. She jumped off from her platform, pushing past the others and walking straight towards him. "Don't be scared, we're not going to hurt you. I'm Mavis, I just want to be friends." she insisted, holding her hand out towards him. Zeref stared at it for a few moments, hesitating before taking it and shaking her hand. He had the power to kill everyone here if he so chose, yet this girl was trusting him completely. Perhaps if she knew what he was, things would be different. Thinking about it further, Zeref became more sure of that fact. The only reason he was being treated with any sort of kindness was due to the fact that they were unaware of his identity. If they learned of his name, that he was Zeref, the Demon Emperor, they would attempt to end his very existence.

Staring into Mavis' green eyes, Zeref gave her a pained smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, however I do not have friends, nor do I have need of them." he insisted, pulling his hand back and turning to leave. The crowd seemed shocked by his announcement, but Mavis was determined, following after Zeref as he walked away.

"Not so fast, mister. This is my city, and I demand to know just who you are." Mavis insisted, now standing tall and trying to intimidate Zeref. It was actually rather amusing to the demon, seeing someone as tiny as her trying to act strong and powerful. It made him smile, shaking his head as he studied her for a few moments, trying to place this energy he sensed within everyone. The others had a weaker form of what existed within Mavis, a huge swarm of light energy that was far stronger than anything he had ever sensed before.

Thinking about what he knew, Zeref realized it could only mean one thing. An angel had finally left the heavens and come to a mortal dimension, but Zeref still did not know why. This was what inspired his reply, gazing back at the sign on her home for a brief moment. "Well, if you are a fairy, I suppose you could call me a spriggan." he stated, thinking of the one thing that was likely to be the opposite of the title she had laid claim to.

Mavis blinked at him a few times, before laughing at his words. "I'm not a fairy! It's just at title, because I'm the one who brought magic to these people when they needed it the most." she insisted, walking with Zeref towards the edge of the small town. People watched as they passed by, but no one stopped Mavis from doing as she desired. "Demons recently started attacking this place, and we needed to be able to protect ourselves. They gave me the title when they learned of my dream to meet a fairy one day. I heard rumors that they exist somewhere in the world, and I've always dreamed of seeing them." Mavis said distantly, her eyes growing wide as she thought of her dream.

Most of the time, Zeref did not humor people with conversation, but something seemed different about this girl. Her dream, and the way she seemed to stay so bright in the face of darkness, it intrigued him. "Fairies do indeed exist, though not in this dimension. You must cross the barrier between dimensions to find them." Zeref told her, deciding it was time to give up on keeping his knowledge hidden. "It should be well within your capabilities, Angel of Heaven." he added, watching her gasp in surprise.

Within seconds, Mavis had rushed towards him, covering his mouth with her hand and shoving his back against a tree. He had been too startled to truly do anything that would defend himself against an attack, but even if she was attacking, it wasn't as if it would cause him permanent damage. "Shh!" Mavis insisted, looking afraid of his words. "Don't call me that, not here. I'm not supposed to be here….I'm not allowed to leave…." she whispered, sounding sad as she gazed around them. It hadn't taken them long to move beyond the city and towards the forest again, but they were still only on the edge of the forest. Trees were sparse, leaving some space around them as Zeref felt the tree trunk rub against his back.

Zeref gazed at her calmly, aware that there were likely restrictions on the lives of angels. Up until this point, he had never even heard of a female amongst them, thinking back to the names he had heard shadowhunters use on their blades. Ithuriel, Malik, Abrariel, and so many other names flashed through his mind, but not a single one sounded feminine to him. Either the usual names of females were not used, or Mavis was simply not known about in other dimensions. As Mavis stared at him, a blush slowly began to appear on her cheeks and she jumped back, releasing Zeref immediately. "Oh, what am I thinking? I'm so stupid, I never should have done that. Are you okay, Mister Spriggan?" she asked, while Zeref smiled at her, chuckling softly.

"It would take quite more than that to bring me any harm, Fairy." Zeref stated, watching as Mavis frowned slightly. "I have been to realms where your kind is well-known, though I have never met one of you in person. Part of me has always wished to meet one of you." Zeref stated, seeing a small sliver of hope. If this dimension had the protection of an angel, not even Acnologia would succeed in his goal.

Still, Mavis did not seem happy, sitting on the ground next to Zeref. Before long, the demon decided there was no harm in joining her, sitting by her side on the grass. "Well, I guess you're disappointed then. I'm nothing like the others, always too weak and small to be a fighter. All I'm meant to do is marry my assigned partner, and help continue our race. Females are not common among….us, but when they are born, they are given an arranged marriage almost immediately." she stated sadly, looking upset. "I just couldn't do it though! I don't want to be trapped, I want to go on adventures, make friends, and have fun. I want to see fairies, and meet new people, and…." Mavis was saying passionately, her voice trailing off as Zeref sighed, touching her hand gently.

It was a gesture both of them were unfamiliar with, but neither of them pulled away. Zeref saw her sadness, and he felt a strange desire to put an end to it. This angel, for some reason he was drawn to her. Perhaps she did not have the power necessary to combat a being such as Acnologia, but she did have a light in her heart that he wished to keep alive. "If that is your desire, I shall aid you on your journey. When you are ready to begin your adventure and find a fairy, come to me and I promise I will take you to them one day." Zeref told her.

He expected her to be happy, to thank him for her offer. What he did not expect was her shriek of joy, somewhat painful to his sensitive ears, as she threw her arms around his neck, shoving him to the forest floor in her excitement. "You really mean it? You're going to take me to see a fairy one day?" she asked, leaning back while Zeref gazed at her, somewhat stunned by her proximity. Most demons longed for the life force of others when this close to them, but Zeref felt no need to feed off of her. As strong as Mavis' emotions were, he simply wished to leave them be, to let her remain happy like this.

Zeref nodded at her, this time making her squeal again, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as she pressed her head against his chest. She was such a strange girl, but he wasn't going to complain about her actions. "Oh, I almost forgot! You never told me your name." Mavis stated, getting up and sitting down on the grass again, waiting patiently for Zeref's introduction.

He gazed into her eyes for a moment, before looking away, focused on the ground before him. This was going to be the end of their brief companionship, the return to Zeref's life of isolation. He was so lonely, and tired of that life, he had hoped to keep his name hidden for longer. Mavis saw his troubled gaze, and she surprised him by copying his action from before. Her hand covered his on the ground, gazing at him patiently with a look of understanding as he let his gaze turn towards the city, his frown still not fading. "My name is Zeref, the Demon Emperor."

 **I'm not getting feedback from any of my stories...and I'm not feeling all that inspired to write the others at the moment. As a result, I'm turning to new ideas and starting more stories, despite all of the ones I'm writing at the moment. Hopefully, I'll get more inspired soon, because I have a lot of stories I'm working on at the moment. Feel free to review and let me know what you think, it'll help keep me motivated to write!**


	2. A Spriggan Amongst Fairies

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Mavis blinked at him, not quite able to believe what she was hearing. This man that had wandered into the town she created, he was claiming to rule over all demons. She had heard of Zeref when she was in heaven, with the other angels. He was supposed to be an evil being, intent on destroying the world around him with his army of demons. The person before her only looked like a boy, and from what she could see, there was no evil in his eyes. All she could see was pain and sadness, the look of someone who had never really had a friend in their life.

Hearing his words, Mavis decided right then and there that it didn't matter who he was. Zeref had helped her just now, and he had promised her that she would see a fairy. She still felt excitement burn through her at the thought, at the idea that she was going on an adventure to finally see one of the fabled creatures. She wondered what they would be like, if they would be kind and, most importantly, if such a creature would have a tail. For some reason, that question had always bothered Mavis, wondering if fairies had tails. It had been born of a conversation with her first friend in this town, and with Zera now gone, Mavis intended on finding the answer for them both.

Zeref still seemed to look sad, his gaze not meeting hers as he stared out into the distance. "Well, you don't seem all that evil to me," Mavis commented, watching as he blinked and turned towards her. He looked surprised at her words, like he hadn't expected her to say such a thing.

Still, it seemed to her as if part of Zeref wanted to be hated. "You do not know of the things I've done, Mavis. Every word you've heard about me has been true. I have done terrible things in my long life," he insisted, while Mavis shook her head. She got up and held her hand out towards him. She had a bright smile on her face, offering him a chance to come with her back to town.

"That is the past, we're both here to leave that behind, aren't we?" she asked, watching as Zeref hesitantly grabbed her hand, rising to his feet. Mavis was glad to see him do so, to have the chance to keep her friend by her side even if it was just for a little while longer. She wanted him near, even if he did know her secret, because Zeref had made her smile. She had to return the favor, and so far, it seemed like it was going to be almost impossible to bring a smile to this boy's face.

Sure, she had seen him give her sad smiles, filled with dark amusement of some kind, but that didn't count. Mavis wanted to see a real smile, one that came from true happiness in Zeref. "I suppose I cannot deny that, though my past often comes and finds me regardless of where I go." Zeref insisted, staring into her gaze. "The barrier between this dimension and the others is growing weaker, you are aware of what this will bring, aren't you?" Zeref asked, staring down towards her.

Mavis knew this already, aware that it was the reason behind all the demon attacks. She had done her best to prepare her mages for the upcoming war, giving them magic and the tools necessary to fight, but there was only so much she could do. She directed them much like a general, always trying to stay a step ahead of the demons and predict where they would arrive, but it wasn't quite possible without an ability to actually sense their presence. "Yes, I am aware. That's why I can't leave, not yet. I need to protect my home, and my family," Mavis insisted, still feeling attached to the people here. Even if Zera was gone, she was still friends with Warrod, Precht, and Yuri in town.

Zeref nodded, looking thoughtful as he turned towards the sky. "In the end, this world will still die, just like all others before it. The weaker the barrier grows, the closer _he_ is to arriving. As soon as you see him, the end will come," Zeref stated mysteriously, making Mavis frown and turn towards him. Seeing the question in her eyes, Zeref already moved to answer it. "Acnologia, the Black Demon of the Apocalypse. We've been battling against each other for centuries, neither of us ever winning our battles."

Mavis stared at him with wide eyes, realizing what he meant by his past constantly finding him. Was this the fate of all worlds, to perish at the hands of this demon? She would not allow it, not when she still stood ready to defend her home. "Well, this world will be different," Mavis insisted, making Zeref raise an eyebrow at her. She gave him a smile, grabbing his hand as she stood by his side. "This world has the blessing of an immortal angel, and the protection of a powerful demon. Between the two of us, I am certain we will achieve victory against any demon that stands in our path!"

Zeref gave her a sad smile, clearly trying to avoid eliminating her hope. "A demon, fighting against other demons? Just what gave you that idea?" Zeref asked, while Mavis smirked at him, dragging him along as she began running back towards town. He stumbled a bit, not quite expecting Mavis' strong grip.

Turning her head towards him, she giggled slightly. "You, of course. After all, you can't exactly stick around here if your secret identity gets out, so I now hold the key to allowing you to remain here in peace," she said, a bit deviously. After all, she was a strategist at heart, and she knew the best plan to get Zeref's aid was through his fear of being rejected by this world.

Zeref seemed to realize this, sighing as he resigned himself to his fate. "Very well, I shall aid you in the protection of this world. I am quite capable of destroying any of the lesser demons in an instant, the only true struggle comes from a battle against one of the Nine Princes of Hell or against Acnologia himself. There are a few others that may cause issue, but they are nothing compared to my strength," Zeref informed her, making her nod. It was useful information to know, telling her just how to use Zeref in this war for her world.

People gave them strange looks as Mavis dragged Zeref through town once more, this time taking him straight to the platform she had been on before. He seemed uncomfortable, gazing around the crowd before turning towards her with a frown on his face, clearly unsure of what Mavis wanted from him. "I'm back!" Mavis declared with a grin, waving at everybody who was still waiting for her. They cheered, a few of them running up to hug her as she smiled at them, happy to be with her friends again.

"Okay, we've now got a new ally in town! I'd like to introduce you to…uh, to…" Mavis began, trailing off as she turned towards Zeref. She had forgotten about this part of her plan, about what to call Zeref! How could she have done something so careless, leaving out such an important detail? Knowing where to place him to battle wasn't enough, she needed to give her people something to call Zeref too, something other than his actual name.

It was clear that she was panicking, her voice shaky as she desperately turned towards Zeref for help. He sighed, closing his eyes as he gazed over towards the others. "I go by Spriggan, my true name does not matter. I have come after hearing tales of your land's war, the battle you face against the demons from beyond this dimension. My goal is to protect you for as long as this world lives, nothing more, and nothing less," Zeref declared, making Mavis let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't all that bad with words, it seemed. Even under pressure, he knew what to say to help out, despite being among people he had never met.

The crowd seemed excited about this too, while Yuri frowned at him, stepping closer to Zeref. "Oh yeah? Just what do you want with our leader?" he demanded, while Zeref stared back calmly, not intimidated in the slightest. Yuri's magic was even showing, sparks dancing in his palms as Zeref gazed at him with a bored look.

"Mavis is to be directing this battle. I shall be a member of her army, following orders just like the rest of you here," Zeref stated, while Mavis nodded in agreement, walking over with a smile. She patted Zeref's head, pleased with his words and ignoring the way he seemed to grow uncomfortable with her actions, glancing away from both of them as she treated him not all that differently from a child.

"That's right! Spriggan here is my secret weapon, he knows all about demons and their weaknesses. With him on our side, nothing can stop us!" Mavis insisted, while Yuri pouted, walking back with a huff. It was clear that he was jealous of Zeref, that he disliked being near a stranger who claimed to be capable of destroying demons better than the wizards of their dimension.

Others made no complaint as Mavis dragged Zeref behind her again, this time pulling him into her house. "Well, we don't have any free lodging in town, and I doubt you've made any money during your time here," Mavis commented, watching as Zeref shrugged, not looking too concerned. "So….I've decided that you shall stay here!" she declared proudly, watching as Zeref blinked at her, his arm pulling free of her grasp as he scowled.

"I am perfectly fine outside, under the stars. There is no need for such a gesture, Mavis," he insisted, while Mavis shook her head. Zeref was her guest, she was not going to just abandon him outside. Also, she wanted to know more about him, and these fairies he told her about before.

This was what she thought anyway, as she grabbed his arm and dragged him deeper into her house, ignoring his protests. "No, I need you here, where I can find you if there is a demon attack. That means you have to be in town, and besides, I have plenty of room for you to stay here. It'll be fun, we can be just like roommates!" Mavis said eagerly, watching as Zeref sighed, giving her a slight smile as he shook his head at her.

He didn't seem upset, but there was still that sadness in his eyes that Mavis wanted to help get rid of. "I suppose I have no choice in the matter. In the end, it matters little where I sleep. As far as being roommates, well, I suppose there is a first for everything," he commented, looking mildly amused by the idea.

Mavis did her best to hide her surprise that Zeref had been living alone for all this time. From what she had gathered, Zeref was the oldest demon in existence, the one responsible for creating all others. Being alone for that long, it suddenly made sense to her why he was so sad. "Well, I'll help show you how it works! Follow me, I'll take you to your room. Be sure to be up early tomorrow if you want breakfast!" she stated brightly, smiling at him as she walked through her house, with Zeref following behind her. Neither of them quite understood the momentousness of this occasion, the truth of what they had started. While it may have been rumored that the Fair Folk were born from angels and demons, that was not the case. Even Zeref did not know of their origins, but angels and demons had never been able to tolerate the presence of each other. Zeref and Mavis were the first two capable of finding peace with each other, and that would be their greatest strength.

 **Surprise! Early update for all of you, thank you for reviewing. I had some** **extra time on my hands, and right now, I'm kind of excited for this story. It might be a few chapters before we get to seeing the shadowhunters come into the story. This is kind of the introduction to establish wizards within the world of The Mortal Instruments, but we will get to New York soon enough. In reference to timeline, I am planning on this story occurring some time between The Mortal Instruments and The Dark Artifices series (I won't make references to Tales From Shadowhunter Academy, I have not read them yet. Though, I may reference events from the Bane Chronicles if it seems fitting, Magnus Bane is one of my favorite characters from the series).**

 **I hope you don't mind the wait to get to that point, I'll be sure to keep things interesting until then at least. Feel free to review and tell me what you think. I don't think this cliffhanger is as bad as the last one, at least ;)**


	3. Acnologia's Attack

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of TMI or FT

Even with Zeref on their side, it was not enough. Demons came, more and more numerous over the years, while Zeref fought side by side with Mavis' wizards. They were quite skilled, but many still died. Zeref could not be everywhere at once, thus it led to more pointless death, something inevitable in any war. While it didn't affect Zeref too much, Mavis was always heartbroken when she heard the names of those that had not survived, and soon, there was no place beyond the city walls that was safe.

Mavis had become something strange to Zeref, and he did not quite understand why. Something about her kept him close to her, made him desire to protect her above all else. Whatever happened in this realm, Zeref would not let her perish. If need be, he would force her through a portal to another dimension, regardless of her wishes. It was better than seeing her die in a war that was as pointless as all the others he had seen in his years.

With the idea that it might aid them further, Mavis had done something else surprising for Zeref, something that may prove to have negative effects in the end. When her own wizards began falling, she turned to Zeref and his demonic powers for aid, but it still was not enough. Thus, she sought to combine the two, granting Zeref her blessing as well. As a being that already possessed magic, an angel's blessing of this nature seemed pointless, but he did feel stronger than before. His magic was capable of more than just darkness with her blessing, able to create illusions and utilize telepathy and teleportation as a result. It aided them to an extent, but it was not enough power to stop the sheer amount of demons invading this world. They could be seen in the skies, hiding in the forest beyond the town border, and when night fell, they would attack.

Zeref knew that this amount of demons could only mean one thing, that Acnologia had arrived at some place in this world. He was still waiting to see the demon, the dragon-like form of the beast in the sky. Every attack, he expected to find himself face to face with his enemy, but it never happened. It did not ease the tension building within Zeref, the feeling that something terrible was about to occur within this land.

When Acnologia finally arrived, Zeref was still prepared, even after over a year of fighting in this war. "Ah, it has been quite some time, Emperor. How did I know I'd find you here?" Acnologia asked as he landed among the people here, using his shapeshifting talents to blend in somewhat. Instead of a dragon-like beast, Acnologia now stood before him as a man with long bluish hair, dressed in a black cloak with blue tattoos dancing along his skin. This was his preferred human form, though Zeref never quite understood why. Then again, he himself had no reason for preferring this teenage body to another, so he could not argue against Acnologia's decision.

"You always find me, Acnologia. Tell me, do you plan on rewriting history again, or do you believe a miracle will happen? Even I cannot predict the answer to that question." Zeref asked, seeing other mages hesitate, uncertain of the meaning behind Zeref's conversation with Acnologia. Mavis had emerged from her home at the commotion, freezing at the sight of Zeref speaking with some strange boy.

Acnologa smirked, clearly amused with Zeref's words. "A miracle, you say? Don't make me laugh, we both know that no such thing exists. There is only power, and no one here has more than the two of us. These puny mortals will die in only a few more moments, when our true battle resumes." he insisted.

Commentary like this was quite common between Zeref and Acnologia, which was why Zeref was able to stay calm through this. Battles could start at any moment, and with two immortal beings, there was no rush to jump into a fight. "Perhaps, but as I stated before, a miracle still might happen. Your purpose may have be to destroy me, but even after centuries of battle, you have yet to succeed. I shall not let you harm these mortals, not when they have shown me the kindness and acceptance I have been searching for in all of these different dimensions." Zeref vowed, his gaze narrowing at Acnologia as he began to draw on his power.

Acnologia did the same, reverting back into his dragon form as Zeref launched a black orb of magic towards him, colliding with the black demon's stomach and sending Acnologia hurtling into the sky. Acnologia roared in anger, making other wizards cover their ears from the loud noise. Zeref did no such thing, preparing another wave of darkness to attack with as Acnologia dove downward, slashing out with his claw at the same time Zeref threw a black wave of energy towards the beast. The magic collided with Acnologia's scales in a massive explosion, blinding those watching the battle.

Zeref still braced himself, his spell not strong enough to completely stop Acnologia's attack. The dragon's claw struck him hard, throwing Zeref to the side where he collided with one of the buildings in town. He was freed from the cloud of smoke, raising his head to see Acnologia standing with a triumphant look over Zeref's injured body. They had been in many situations similar to this one in the past, but even so, Zeref had always survived. However, the people here were not aware of that fact, not even Mavis. He had done his best to hide the darkness in his past form her, but if he had revealed the truth, perhaps events would have gone differently that day.

"No! Stop, I won't let you kill Zeref!" Mavis yelled, shocking all of the town. They all had heard of his name, apparently quite known in this dimension. Perhaps it was just in the land of shadowhunters where he had been forgotten, but it mattered little to Zeref. What mattered to him right now was Mavis, the small girl who was walking closer to the battle still in progress with a glowing white light in her hands. Zeref watched as a massive eagle seemed to appear from nowhere, larger than even Acnologia as it dove towards them. The dragon quickly released Zeref, dodging to the side while Zeref flattened himself to the ground.

Still, Acnologia sniffed the air briefly, before growling in anger and turning towards Mavis. "You wish to deceive me, with poor illusions such as this? No one interrupts my battle, I will not let flies like you get in my way!" Acnologia declared, charging towards Mavis.

Zeref acted quickly, teleporting in front of her and taking the blow meant for her. Acnologia's jaw clamped down on his body, making him gasp in pain as the demon's teeth pierced through his body, blood and ichor pouring onto the ground. It was strange, Zeref thought, seeing that his body contained both the ichor of demons and the blood of mortals. Even he did not know why this was, where this combination had come from, likely a result of being the first of his kind. It was also likely to be what set him apart from the others, giving him the ability to live on for eternity without dying from bodily wounds such as this.

Mavis screamed at the sight, watching as Acnologia lifted Zeref from the ground and threw him out of the way, growling menacingly as he focused back on his original target. "Interesting, it seems you've gained a heart, Demon Emperor. To think, someone as dark as you, as surrounded by death as you, could still love, it is rather humorous." Acnologia stated, while Zeref weakly sat up, feeling pain all over his body. Blood and ichor were everywhere on his black robes, but they stood out more on the white sash wrapped around it. "Now, you get the chance to suffer the agony of losing it. Let's see you fight with that fire without her by your side." Acnologia threatened, moving back towards Mavis as Zeref felt rage spark in his chest.

He created another massive wave of darkness, this one crackling with what looked like black lightning as it was sent crashing down on Acnologia. The dragon roared in pain as it lashed against his scales, tearing a few off with the force of the attack. It was taking all of Zeref's energy to do this, to continue fighting while his body struggled to heal, but it was worth it. He would not let Mavis fall, not to the demon he himself had created.

Zeref had not been paying attention to Mavis, his focus solely on Acnologia as the dragon turned back towards him. Zeref could not move quick enough to dodge Acnologia's claw, feeling the dragon's talons pierce his body. He didn't even realize he still had places left that were not injured, but it seemed there were. Zeref was thrown across the town once again, this time colliding with the place he had lived at for quite some time now. He broke through the sign above the door, leaving only the half of it left. Now, the sign simply read fairy, with Mavis' name destroyed on the ground beneath Zeref.

"Leave Spriggan alone!" someone yelled from the crowed, surprising Zeref when he saw a flash of lightning clash against Acnologia. It was bright and yellow, and as he turned, Zeref saw Mavis' friend Yuri, the one who had seemed to dislike Zeref almost immediately. It was the last person Zeref expected to see aiding him, but he would not object to having an ally.

Acnologia turned to attack Yuri, when what appeared to be chains of white light appeared and pulled the dragon back. Precht was controlling them, attacking back alongside his friend. He gave Zeref a slight nod of acknowledgment, never one for many words. "Foolish mortals! I shall end you all!" Acologia shouted, breaking free of the chains with ease. The magic shattered, leaving Precht frowning, wondering what to do next. He created more, but they clearly were not enough to hold the beast down.

Acnologia came rushing for Precht and Yuri, while the younger of the two turned to run in fear. Yuri didn't completely leave the battle, just attempting to get out of the way while Precht stood calmly before Acnologia. The majority of his expression was hidden underneath the collar of his shirt. Before Acnologia could impale Precht with his claws, a massive tree grew in between the demon and the wizard, causing Acnologia to collide with the plant and create a massive shuddering throughout the ground as even the roots of the tree nearly broke from Acnologia's strength.

Zeref watched for a few moments, before getting up to join them. Warrod had to be here too, based on the tree, and it did not take long for Zeref to spot the man. He smiled at Zeref, waving slightly as he focused once more on the battle before them. "Alright, I may not know much about you, Spriggan, but I want you to make a deal with me." Yuri stated, while Zeref glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "If we survive this, you're going to tell me everything, especially why this idiot here keeps calling you a demon emperor." he explained, while Zeref gave him a dark smile, nodding slightly.

Zeref had no doubt that they would perish here, so there was no harm in the deal. "Very well, I accept your deal." Zeref insisted, watching as Acnologia recovered from his collision with the tree. The dragon seemed angered by its presence, grabbing it within its jaw and ripping it from the ground, throwing it far away from the town as he focused once more on the four in front of him. "Part one of my explanation, would be my name." Zeref began, watching as Yuri blinked at him, not quite expecting this now.

"Uh, I said after…." Yuri began, only to be interrupted by what seemed to be a massive blast of energy coming from Acnologia. The dragon's mouth was open, a blinding light bursting forth from his mouth as he unleashed his breath attack. Seeing this, Zeref grabbed on to his allies, teleporting to the other side of the dragon and watching as half of the town was destroyed, along with the forest that existed beyond it. Trees were disintegrated in seconds, plants were uprooted, and animals were obliterated from the force of Acnologia's attack.

Zeref turned towards him, a dark look on his face as his smile vanished. "You will not survive this, Yuri, but you deserve an explanation. My name is Zeref, as you heard before, and I am responsible for the creation of the demon race." Zeref stated darkly, watching as Yuri stared at him in horror. "Indeed, I myself am a demon as well, though I suppose I have become a traitor to my kind." Zeref added, thinking about his recent actions.

Acnolgia turned around, seeing them behind him as he lashed out in anger. Warrod created another tree to defend them, but the dragon saw it coming, first attacking with his claw to slash out and eliminate anything in his way before rushing towards them. Yuri stepped forward to stop him, sending waves of lightning towards Acnologia, but Zeref watched with a dark expression as the dragon swallowed the lightning, not even phased by the attack. "You three may have caught me by surprise, but I shall not be fooled again. No one can stand against me, against the King of the _Dragonidae_!" Acnologia declared, a self-proclaimed title.

Zeref created a wall of darkness, using it to block them just enough to rush out of the way. Precht moved to attack as they did so, his chains wrapping around Acnologia's leg as he ran. The dragon used that attack against him, however, pulling his leg back and dragging Precht to the ground as he struggled to keep his grip on the chain. "I suppose you should count yourselves lucky. Acnologia has considered you worthy enough to speak, he often chooses to remain silent around his prey." Zeref commented blandly, moving to try and help Precht. He sent a black orb crashing into the chain, shattering it and freeing Precht from his own spell before he got dragged directly into Acnologia's mouth, but it still did not look like it would be enough.

They all saw it, when Acnologia stepped closer to Precht, his claw pressing down on the man's body as he struggled to break free and get back up. "Precht! No, we've got to get him out of there. Zeref, do something!" Yuri shouted, desperate to help his friend.

Zeref turned away, his gaze sad as he closed his eyes. "There is nothing to be done, death is an unavoidable part of life." Zeref stated, not wanting to watch as one of Mavis' friends was killed. He heard her cry of pain as she saw it as well, witnessing the death of Precht. It seemed louder than the cries from those standing directly by his side, but it still told him one thing. His gaze turned back towards Acnologia, seeing a pool of blood underneath his claw along with the mangled remains of Precht, torn apart by Acnologia's own strength.

"Oh my god, Precht! How could this….he was always the….will this really be our end?" Yuri cried, clearly in disbelief over Precht's death. Warrod seemed to be staring in shocked silence, tears flowing from his cheeks as he grew angry, his magic flowing outward. Trees grew, their branches flying towards Acnologia in his rage. The dragon broke them apart with ease, using his claws along with the spike on his tail to shatter them.

"Weak! All of you, you are so weak!" Acnologia declared, getting closer as he rampaged through Warrod's massive amount of trees. Yuri joined in after a moment of shock, lightning dancing along the length of the branches that moved to impale Acnologia. Even with the shocks from Yuri's lightning, Acnologia did not hesitate to shatter the branches and he did not slow down. Zeref wished to help, but in this situation, all he could do was kill the trees and that would not help any of them. Instead, he attempted to create a wall of darkness once more, but he did so too late. Acnologia was half-way through the barrier Zeref had begun raising, close enough to raise his front arm and drag his claws across all of their chests. Zeref groaned, stumbling back as more blood and ichor poured from his body. Some of his older wounds had begun to heal already, but it did not mean he was completely recovered. New wounds still came, and that meant that he would continue to grow weaker in this battle.

Unlike Zeref, however, Yuri and Warrod were not used to receiving such blows. They screamed in pain, Yuri falling down and clutching his hands to his chest while Warrod ended up much the same. "Yuri, Warrod!" Mavis yelled, her worried voice carrying across the town and towards them. Their injuries were severe, and it seemed as if Zeref could do nothing for them now. Even if they destroyed Acnologia now, Yuri and Warrod would not survive. The claw wounds were deep and they were bleeding far too much to have a hope for survival, that was clear to Zeref.

Hearing Mavis' cries of pain made Zeref even angrier towards Acnologia, wanting to destroy him completely now. In all of his years of fighting this demon, Zeref had never truly wished for success, always wishing for his own death instead. This had changed everything, showing him that Acnologia deserved a fate far worse than death. He created more darkness, dancing around his body as he glanced up towards the dragon, his black eyes turning red as his demonic powers grew stronger. "You made Mavis cry…you killed her friends. I am your creator, your emperor, and I will not stand for these crimes." Zeref declared, watching as Acnologia seemed to grow fearful for the first time ever since this battle began.

Zeref unleashed his darkness, not caring who got hurt so long as Mavis was safe. She stood just beyond the range of his spell, watching as Zeref swallowed nearly the entire town in darkness with his attack. It danced around him, ensnaring Acnologia where he stood as tendrils of black shadows wrapped around his legs, holding the dragon in place. Zeref stepped forward calmly, his expression rather empty for one filled with so much rage. Just as Zeref was about to deal the killing blow, unleashing all of this darkness in one final attack, something seemed to shudder in the air around them, another being taking advantage of the weakened barrier between dimensions.

Zeref glanced up with a frown, ready to attack whoever sought to interrupt his chance for revenge. Above him was an unexpected sight, a being that could not be described properly with words. It was nearly sixty feet tall, gloriously bathed in flames that were unearthly hot, nearly burning Zeref even though the being was standing away from his trap of darkness. As the angel stepped closer, the flames seemed to burn away Zeref's attack, making the demon glare at the being with anger and annoyance on his face. "You are interfering, I have no need for your aid." Zeref declared, while the angel glared down at him, a harsh judgment in his eyes.

"Zeref, Demon Emperor, I suggest backing down now, while I am still inclined to let you live. I am Raziel, I have come to aid my wife and destroy the danger that has endangered her life." the angel declared, turning towards Acnologia. As the angel raised his hand, ready to utilize the power of heaven to strike the dragon down, Zeref already knew what would happen. Acnologia would much rather live to fight another day than foolishly die in a battle against an enemy he cared little for. The dragon vanished, disappearing once more into the Void, one of the few demons that was capable of traveling between dimensions at will.

Raziel did not seem pleased, but his gaze focused on Mavis, who was crying as she turned towards both of them. She stepped closer, her head hung low as Raziel gazed down at her calmly, taking her hand gently in his. "Zeref, it looks like I have to go home now." Mavis said softly, raising her head as she did her best to give him a smile. Zeref's rage was fading, and it hurt to see the pain in her face, to see how she was trying to hide it from him. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine! I'm sure I'll see a fairy one day, just like we planned." she insisted, while Zeref focused on her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. She had been the reason he was following a lighter path, the person who showed him that it was possible to change his ways. Without her, Zeref was nothing, empty and longing only for death regardless of what had to be destroyed to get there.

Staring up at Mavis and Raziel, Zeref felt a determination grow in him, a longing that he knew would never fade. He had fallen in love with an angel, and he was going to do everything in his power to bring her back to his side. "I made you a promise, Mavis, one that still stands. I shall bring you to the Fair Folk one day, and we will dance under the moonlit night with fairies until your heart is content and filled with joy." Zeref told her, watching as she stared at him, no longer able to just stand still. She tore her hand away from Raziel, running towards Zeref and throwing her arms around his neck, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'll miss you. I'm glad I got the chance to be your friend, and that at least one of you survived." she insisted. Raziel did not seem pleased with her actions, watching carefully as Zeref returned her hug, his eyes closing as she pulled back, far too soon. He wanted her to stay by his side and never leave, but they had little choice.

Raziel took Mavis' hand once more, turning to leave. "Do take care not to wander off again, my dear. Luckily, I heard your prayer and answered your call. If not, everyone else here would have perished." Raziel insisted, while Mavis nodded. Zeref had his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his head hung low with his bangs covering his eyes from sight. Mavis had called the angel here, trying to do what she did best. She sacrificed her freedom for these people, no, for him. She did it to save Zeref from Acnologia, even thought it was entirely unnecessary. He sensed their power leave this place as pain surged through him, a sadness Zeref could not control. Acnologia was gone, but so was his guiding light. Tears flowed down his cheeks for the first time as he collapsed down to his knees, his power reacting to his unstable emotions. A wave of darkness unleashed itself from his body, echoing his pain and desire to be left alone by killing everything around the demon. Nothing could change this tragedy and make it better, and Zeref knew he would never be the same again without her.

 **Sorry if this seems a bit rushed, like I said before, I'm using the first few chapters to establish Zeref in this world. Once we get into the main plot line, the pace should slow down a bit, but right now there will be a few time gaps between chapters. Right now, I'm planning on getting to the shadowhunters sometime within the next two or three chapters.**

 **Also, I'd like to say that this story will not keep Mavis paired with Raziel. I am not that great at creating OCs, and out of the angels in the Mortal Instruments, he is the one that is seen the most, so that is why I used him as Mavis' current husband. Right now, it just seems like an awkward pairing, but it is an arranged marriage of sorts, so I suppose it isn't that unbelievable.**

 **Right now, we are still at monthly updates, but your reviews are slowly bringing this story up in ranks. Feel free to tell me what you think!**


	4. Earning a Name

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Years passed since that day, years which Zeref spent alone and in isolation. He did not wish to see anyone, to be reminded that Mavis was gone and that he had destroyed anyone who she would have wished to see alive. He truly was a demon, only capable of bringing death to a world of life, but in the end it didn't matter. He was slowly reverting back into who he used to be, the boy that simply wished for an end to his life.

Zeref was resting in the forest when he met the first person he had seen in years, perhaps even centuries. Time didn't mean much to Zeref at this point, not when he cared little for his existence and knew it would never end. Acnologia still hadn't returned, and people had found peace, forming their own government and everything to rule over the wizards of this land. Mavis' blessing still remained, even in the descendants of those that had once lived in this place, and now people formed guilds to use their magic for work. Even Mavis' home had been converted into one, the guild stealing her old title to form the guild known as Fairy Tail, partially in honor of her memory. Few actually remembered her personally, however, only knowing the stories of the fairy that blessed this land with magic.

The person he encountered was a child, merely a tiny boy with bright pink hair that seemed to be playing in the forest around town. His gaze landed on Zeref with a frown, stopping as he saw the demon hidden near his home. "Who are you?" the kid asked, while Zeref simply smiled, sighing softly. Children always had vivid imaginations, he would be capable of satisfying this boy and sending him on his way.

"I have not spoken to anyone in years. In the past, I went by the name of Spriggan." Zeref insisted, watching as the child glared at him, clearly not believing it.

"No way! Spriggan was a hero to our people, you're just a homeless jerk." the kid insisted, before frowning even further. "What's you're real name?" he insisted, while Zeref sighed. It appeared that this kid had heard of his legend, at least, what the town thought of as his legend.

Even so, they had now forgotten the tales of Zeref, moving past the demon that created all others and focusing on the brief peace that had arrived. Demons were now rare in this world, though the barrier was still weak. After the angel's intervention, demons feared to trespass in this land, but that fear would not last forever. "Very well, my name is Zeref." he stated, watching as the kid grinned widely at him, dragging Zeref to his feet.

"Awesome, I'm Natsu! Come on, play with me!" the kid insisted, while the demon frowned, not used to being involved in the games of children. Still, he did his best to appease the child, spending his day chasing the kid around in a game Natsu called tag. When Natsu grew bored of tag, he moved on to a new game titled hide and seek, whose name made it rather self-explanatory to the Demon Emperor. By the time Natsu was done, the sun was setting and he was smiling over at Zeref.

"You know, I like you! From now on, I'm making you my brother!" Natsu insisted, while Zeref blinked at him, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. This child was amusing, and somehow, his bright and innocent attitude reminded him of Mavis.

As amusing as Natsu's comment was, Zeref did not wish to be attached again. "That is not how things work, Natsu. I am not your brother, regardless of what you wish." he insisted, while Natsu pouted. Zeref wasn't sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't Natsu's attempt to attack Zeref. Small flames seemed to surround his hands as he punched Zeref's knee, the highest point the child could reach with his height. It wasn't all that strong, and it didn't even phase Zeref who simply picked Natsu up to stop him.

Natsu seemed to grin even wider, seeing this as a sign that it was meant to be. "See, you're meant to be a Dragneel! Only a member of my family could withstand attacks from my fire magic!" Natsu insisted, clearly seeing himself as far stronger than he actually was at this point.

Keeping Natsu in his arms, Zeref began walking towards the town. It had been so long since he had been there, but he knew the child would not leave without Zeref at the moment. Natsu seemed pleased with the walk, letting Zeref carry the boy as he yawned, looking tired from their games today. He was energetic, feisty, and cute in a way, the type of boy Zeref might actually enjoy being around. Perhaps he could act as a brother for this child, but his family would be unlikely to approve of such a thing.

Zeref found himself wandering the town at night, carrying Natsu in his arms as the child fought against sleep. "So….Zeref….do you think we can play….tomorrow?" Natsu was asking sleepily, rubbing at his eyes as Zeref did not reply, still searching for the right home. He knew nothing of where people lived here anymore, and the boy was giving him no indications of where his home was. "You're a lot more fun…than the other kids. Gray is annoying, and a pervert, and Erza is just scary. Lisanna is okay, I guess, but her family is weird and she's a girl, so I can't play with her." Natsu insisted, explaining why he had chosen Zeref for the job.

Realizing he had to talk to the child, Zeref decided to take a break from his search, setting Natsu down and watching as he stood a bit weakly, grabbing onto the bottom of Zeref's robe as he steadied himself on the ground. "Perhaps we can play, Natsu. Part of me wishes your words were true, that I had been born your brother. Maybe then, I would not feel this pain." Zeref commented wistfully, thinking of that type of a life. Living in this town during a time of peace, with a little brother like Natsu, it seemed like it would be a dream come true.

Natsu grinned at him, seeming pleased with the comment. "Of course you can be my brother! You're Zeref Dragneel, the greatest big brother in the world!" Natsu declared, giving him a thumbs up while Zeref smiled. This was the first time he truly found himself enjoying the imagination of a child, glad that he could play this role in someone's mind at least.

"Well, would you mind telling your big brother where your house is then? I think you could use some rest for tonight, little brother." Zeref stated with a smile, doing his best to try and keep Natsu happy. It felt strange, acting like this around anyone, even a child. Still, it felt right, and for some reason, after all of this time, Zeref realized he could still grow attached to these mortals.

Natsu gave Zeref a grin, grabbing the demon's hand and pulling him along rather slowly. They walked through the streets, with Natsu leading Zeref to what looked like a small, run-down house. Knocking on the door, Zeref saw a woman answer the door, looking tired and worried. She gasped at the sight of Natsu, glancing up at Zeref with a wary look in her gaze. "I found him wandering near the forest just beyond town. Do take care to watch over him carefully, he seems to be quite adventurous." Zeref commented, while Natsu ran straight to her, a grin on his face.

"Zeref is amazing, he's my new big brother! Mom, can he stay here tonight?" Natsu begged, while Zeref grew uncomfortable, watching as his mother shook her head, mouthing thank you to Zeref as she shut the door with Natsu inside.

Zeref went and returned to the forest he came from, feeling calm and somewhat pleased that he had been capable of helping that child today. That all changed when he saw something moving in the shadows, a ravager demon lurking and moving towards town. If there was one here, it meant that others had surely followed. Seeing that sent fear into Zeref, fear that Acnologia had returned as well, along with the others.

He rushed back into town, running straight back to the single boy that had brought him joy today. Even if it had been brief, there was a strong connection between himself and Natsu. He remembered the boy claiming that Zeref had the right to his family name, and now, Zeref felt as if he had to earn that right. If he was truly going to be Natsu's brother, he had to protect that family.

The door was open when he arrived, a bad sign already. Walking inside, Zeref gazed around, seeing two adults killed on the floor, with not much damage to their bodies. It must have been a demon toxin that killed them then, forced into their system by a poisoned claw or tooth. He moved past them quickly, concerned more with Natsu than he was with the parents.

He found himself moving to a different room in the house, opening a door only to see a sight that shattered what remained of his heart. Natsu lay in his bed, some stuffed toy resting by his side that looked much like a dragon, but his small body was splattered with blood. Zeref could see the slash made by the demon, one that appeared to have claws or talons based on the injury dealt to Natsu. The child had bled out in his sleep, having his throat sliced open by the demon that was still alive somewhere in this town.

Gazing out the window, Zeref closed his eyes, searching for the power signature of one of his demons. It was weak, but not hard to find. As the creator of demons, Zeref could destroy most of the lesser demons without thought, disintegrating them into ash in seconds without any effort. Stronger demons could fight against it with their own power, but ones such as this perished instantly. Once Zeref was satisfied with the death of the demon, his gaze turned back down towards Natsu, thoughtful for a moment. "Natsu….this is my fault." he whispered after a few moments, reaching over to grab the boy's limp hand.

He felt moisture on his cheeks, the second time Zeref cried over the loss of anyone. As he stared down at the boy, thinking about his magic and cheerful grin back in the forest, Zeref felt strongly that he should not have died. This was a tragedy, and Natsu was supposed to still be here, alive. If Zeref had agreed with Natsu sooner, simply asking the mother if he could stay, they would all be alive. Zeref blamed himself for this, just as he blamed himself for Mavis no longer having her freedom.

Unlike Mavis, however, Zeref had the power to fix this issue. It came to him suddenly, a dark idea that he had not had in years. Zeref had given up on the idea of creating new demons after Acnologia, but with the same magic, Natsu could be brought back. This child could live on, and one day, grow strong enough to destroy Zeref. He recalled Natsu's eagerness to fight in the forest, the fire in the boy's eyes as he childishly picked a fight with a grown man. No one would be capable of having that kind of will to fight like Natsu, and the thought brought a smile to Zeref's face, even as he sat crying by Natsu.

He carefully lifted the child into his arms, gazing down at Natsu with a small smile on his face. "Don't worry, Natsu, I will make all of this better. You will not remember a thing when you return, and I will ensure that you are only raised by the strongest of beings. One day, you will find your big brother again, and you will destroy the darkness that lives on and destroys all worlds." Zeref whispered, walking off towards the forest with the boy. No one would question a missing body, not with a demon attack. It would be assumed that the child was eaten by the creature, knowing the way these people viewed demons.

When Zeref arrived in the forest, he gently laid Natsu down on the ground, sitting by his side as he thought about how to do this. Typically, he simply imbued his host with demonic power, allowing that energy to sustain their body and empower their motion. For what Zeref wanted, however, he needed something more. That demonic power would need to be sealed off, after calling Natsu's soul back to his body. He was aware that a spell like this meant that the balance would be torn, a life owed to the light as he stole one to the darkness, but it mattered little in the end. The light could create another hero, all Zeref wanted was a path to death, and he finally found it right here, in the place where Mavis had given him hope so long ago.

Zeref got an idea briefly, of a way to bind away the demonic power. Written runes were powerful things in magic, capable of sealing away almost anything. In the demonic tongue, they would become dangerous to anyone who wished to alter such a spell, but Zeref had no intention of ever releasing the book he was creating. It would be Natsu's lifeline, something far more precious than anything Zeref had ever owned.

With paper before him, made using magic to transform the trees around him, and ink made from berries he found, Zeref prepared to write. He hesitated, however, noticing something around Natsu's neck that caught his eye. A locket was lying at the base of Natsu's throat, a single picture within of the pink-haired boy sitting with his parents for a family portrait. Even if Zeref had no part in this family, he had been told that he was Natsu's brother, that this was where he had belonged. Now, that small chance was gone, the only family offered to him dead before he even had the chance to meet them. He closed the locket once more, deciding to hold onto it as he clasped it around his own neck, not wanting to risk Natsu remembering anything too painful when he regained his life.

With that finished, he got to work, focused on his magic that would break the laws of nature and return his brother to his side. Zeref wanted Natsu back, and he was one of the only beings old enough to know of a process that would accomplish such a task. Demonic writing flowed over the pages of his book, detailing every aspect of Natsu's life as Zeref's mind became linked with the child's soul, seeing all of his memories and living through them as if they were his own. It was necessary, a part of binding the soul back to the body that Zeref often disliked. This time, he found himself enjoying this brief insight into Natsu's life, seeing just how the boy had lived and how much he cared for his family.

Zeref felt tired after the spell finished, the book closing as he stared down at his greatest creation. He had never imbued a demon with this much power before. Still, all that power was sealed away, blocked by the book in Zeref's hand. He saw Natsu's slight breathing, his chest rising and falling as Zeref rose, staring up at the full moon in the sky. Working quickly, Zeref opened a portal to one of the demon dimensions he often visited, a place he went to when he grew bored of the actions of the mortal worlds fighting for life. "Come, Fire Demon of the _Dragonidae_ , Igneel!" Zeref ordered, his command echoing in the forest around him.

A dragon-like demon emerged from the portal, red scales covering its body as it gazed down at Zeref, speaking in its own demonic language at first. "Igneel, I brought you here for your strength and restraint, along with your capability to speak the mortals' languages." Zeref stated, watching as the demon frowned, following after Zeref towards where Natsu still rested, not quite awake yet.

"A child? You wish for me to watch over this for you, Emperor?" Igneel asked, sounding confused and a bit irritated.

Zeref nodded, a dark smile on his face as he gazed over at Natsu, or more accurately called, Etherious Natsu Dragneel. "Indeed, his name is Natsu Dragneel, and he is my younger brother. I have bestowed upon him more power than any demon before him, and from what I've observed, he will likely excel at the use of flames. Your task is to train the boy. Once he is fully trained, you are free to leave. The town will care for him, regardless of what you choose to do." Zeref ordered.

Igneel nodded, not one to argue with orders from one as powerful as Zeref. Walking away, Zeref sighed and returned to his resting place, his back leaning against the trunk of a tree as he stared up at the sky. Zeref Dragneel, that had been the name Natsu called him. His gaze turned downwards, his hand holding the locket he had taken in his hand as he thought. While he had failed to protect his family, he had done something even greater, giving Natsu a second chance at life. At this point, Zeref smiled, feeling as if he had earned the right to that name. It suited him, as did his role as the brother of Natsu, the playful child that would remain oblivious to his true nature until the time came when Zeref was ready for an end to everything, an end to his own life.

 **IMPORTANT: I've just put an announcement on my profile page explaining my reasons behind what I am considering at the moment, but I wanted to add a note in to all of my stories for those who aren't keeping track of updates to my profile. I am considering quitting fanfiction at the moment. Nothing is set in stone, and maybe eventually, I'll come back, but as it stands, I no longer have much inspiration to keep writing on this site. As stated before, if you want my reasoning, it is in the announcement on my profile page. More details about what this means can be found there as well. Feel free to message or review with any concerns about it, I'll be happy to talk about it and take your comments into consideration.**


	5. The Fire of Angels

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Zeref remained distant from the town even after his encounter with Natsu, intent on waiting for the boy to grow older before intervening in his life again. He could be patient and wait for death, he had been waiting for quite some time and there was no issue in waiting longer for it to arrive. Still, it grew boring out in the forest, watching the animals as they fought for survival, and staring at the plants that grew and died depending on how much rain fell throughout the month. He spent years like this, his mind meditating and focused on staying calm. Igneel had left seven years ago, asking Zeref for passage back to his home after training Natsu in a brand of magic he had labeled as Dragon Slaying Magic, in fear of the town discovering the true source of the boy's power. It was the closest thing to the truth, since the magic Natsu had learned was designed to destroy _dragonidae_ demons.

It was now, however, that Zeref saw the flaw in his plan, an issue he knew would happen once more. He felt the shift in the air around him, a sign that something of enormous power had just crossed over to this dimension. The only being that would have any desire to be here with that kind of power was Acnologia, coming for his revenge not only on the angel, but on Zeref as well.

Not wanting to be a part of another war, Zeref prepared himself. He had made plans for such an attack, aware that Mavis would not be happy with his plan in the slightest. He was abandoning this dimension, allowing Acnologia to have it in order to protect the lives of the wizards here. Entering Magnolia, Zeref sighed, seeing no other choice as he raised his arms, focused on his power as he closed his eyes, his head turned upward towards the sky.

People came out from their homes, feeling the ground shaking and staring at the stranger in their town, seeming rather disturbed as magic power began to emanate from Zeref's body. A massive magic circle appeared below their feet, one that Zeref had created long ago for this very purpose. It was a teleportation spell, one that would take them through the Void and into one of the few worlds left that had life within it. He only hoped that the shadowhunters would not overreact to seeing wizards present. They weren't too different from warlocks, but that did not mean that shadowhunters were accepting of anything different from them in any way.

Zeref was not watching as light seemed to illuminate all of Magnolia, ensnaring all of the citizens regardless of where they were and pulling them into the Void. No one would recall seeing anything in the demon dimensions, it was simply a stop that needed to be taken to reach their final destination. Zeref's power was great, but in order to pierce a barrier as strong as this world's, he needed to come from a place where he could draw strength from the world around him. Even if that barrier was weakening, it was still strong enough to ward off most demons.

When Zeref opened his eyes once more, the town was gone and he was standing on a sidewalk, now nighttime. The streets were still busy, loud noises around him as cars drove by, not caring about the strange boy that seemed to be dressed for some convention in town. Zeref ignored all looks he received, glamouring himself to walk in peace among this crowd.

He had never liked this world too much, viewing it as too crowded for his tastes. All of the people and noises often left him feeling crowded and desiring an escape from everyone. "Jace, stop. These readings are off the charts, I've never seen anything like this." a boy was saying in front of him, catching Zeref's attention. He had black hair and was focused on a device in his hand. Zeref felt a hint of wariness when he spotted the black markings on his skin, the sign that this boy was a shadowhunter, as was the other man by his side. This one seemed far brighter than him, golden hair on his head as he took the device from his partner, frowning in confusion at whatever they were seeing.

"The energy here, it's stronger than even when we fought that greater demon. Maybe something's wrong with the Sensor, I'll have someone take a look at it when we get back." the blond replied, handing it back to his partner who still looked worried. "Besides, do you really think anything can withstand us? We're the greatest there is, we have nothing to be afraid of, Alec." the boy stated, patting his partner on the shoulder as they continued on, patrolling the streets from demons.

Zeref had stopped moving, unsure of what to do as they passed by him. It was his own presence being detected by that device, Zeref knew of that much. The blond seemed to be smiling as he walked past, smirking over at Alec who sighed. "Jace, don't. You know it's not fun to pick on the mundanes. They can't see us anyway." Alec stated, trying to stop whatever the boy was planning.

Jace waved him off, grinning as he grabbed Zeref's sash as he walked by, making the demon spin around and grab the boy reflexively, yanking his arm off of Zeref's clothing and shoving the shadowhunter back. Jace and Alec both stared at Zeref in shock, making the demon realize his mistake. "It seems today is meant to be filled with battle, regardless of my attempts to avoid such pointlessness." he commented, watching as they both pulled out seraph blades.

" _Malik"_ the blond whispered, a shining light appearing as his blade was named. Alec was right behind Jace, his blade already active as he moved quickly to place more runes on his skin while Jace distracted Zeref. "You know, I should have expected this. A powerful demon, makes sense that you'd be an _eidolon._ " he commented, smirking with confidence. "A pretty face won't help you, anyway, not when you're facing off against a force of sheer awesomeness." he added, making Zeref scowl.

This was the other reason he disliked this dimension. People spoke so carelessly, bragging about skills they did not possess. "I am not an _eidolon_ , however, I will not deny being a demon. Still, I advise you against battling me. It will not end well for you, shadowhunters." Zeref warned, still not moving to fight. Mavis had rubbed off on him, making him soft and willing to let people survive if possible.

"Really, that's you're real face? Man, I was just thinking you wanted to look ugly." Jace commented, still not backing down as he moved lightly on his feet, now joined by Alec who glared at Jace for playing around. Zeref sighed, not wishing to waste his time with a fight in the streets. He quickly moved to teleport to the other side of them, running as soon as his magic was done.

"What the hell was that? Jace, have you ever seen a demon that can use magic?" Alec asked, sounding dumbfounded by Zeref's abilities. They were chasing him, something that was obvious based on the sound of feet pounding on the sidewalk behind him. Zeref could slow them down, but any magic he used would risk harming, if not killing, those nearby. He had hoped to avoid death today, with Acnologia being rewarded with a new realm to conquer.

Jace turned towards his friend behind Zeref, likely just as confused. "No, but we're going to stop Houdini over there and make him tell us what the hell he is." Jace insisted, making Zeref chuckle slightly, amused by the prospect. No one could gain his secrets unless he desired to share them. Torture would not work, since he did not fear death, and there was nothing left that he cared about. Perhaps Natsu could be a threat, but that boy was safe, the book of END still tucked safely away under the robe he was wearing.

"This realm has forgotten my existence, just as all others did before it. That is the norm for mortals, forgetting facts that could one day save their lives." Zeref insisted, calling back towards the shadowhunters who seemed confused with the game Zeref was playing. He doubted other demons amused them with their words, but he was different.

Alec tried speaking next, before Jace could give Zeref another smart remark. "Hey….you don't seem like any demon I've met before. Are you sure that's what you are? Maybe you're just a warlock, I mean, it'd explain the magic." Alec asked. Zeref wondered how anyone could confuse themselves so much to not know what race they were a part of. There were many differences between warlocks and demons, and while Zeref may have attributes of both, his origin existed within the Void, the place he had been born rather than any living world which would have resulted in a warlock. His immortality was different from theirs as well, more than just eternal life and going as far as having the ability to heal any wound.

Realizing that these boys would not see reason, Zeref stopped running, turning towards them with a dark smile on his face. "Oh, I am a demon, that I guarantee you." Zeref told them, turning to face them as he stayed still, not making a move to defend himself. Jace moved to attack and take the opening, but Alec stopped him, shaking his head.

"He isn't hurting anyone, Jace. Even if he is a demon, this guy actually seems smart. We haven't met one before that actually spoke to us like a normal person, Jace. Maybe it wants to tell us something." Alec tried, while Zeref sighed, gazing at the ground sadly.

"That was not my intention, however you may be better off with a warning." Zeref stated, thinking about the wizards that had arrived in this world. Both boys seemed interested, though Jace kept his seraph blade raised for a fight. "This dimension is not the only one existing with life left on it." Zeref began, watching as Alec and Jace shared a look, one that told Zeref they already had suspected as much. It intrigued him, considering such knowledge would only come if they had journeyed beyond this dimension. "One such world is about to perish, and I have brought its residents here, to your world. Be prepared for a new group of beings, capable of magic but free of demonic taint like the warlocks you know." Zeref told them, turning to leave with that. He had no intention of revealing anything further, but these boys would not settle for that.

He felt Jace tackle him to the ground, his blade now pressed against Zeref's throat with a scowl on his face. Perhaps this boy did have a pretty face, but it was marred by the expressions of a warrior, not gentle like that of Mavis. "Not so fast, demon. Why would a monster like you want to save anyone?" he demanded, a rather good question. Zeref never even fully understood the reasons behind his actions these days, without the guiding light of Mavis to help calm the storms within his mind.

"Feel free to tear off my head, if it satisfies your rage, shadowhunter. I see it in you, the fire of angels that burns for justice and retribution. Few can resist the temptation of battle with that in their veins, and I will not resist if it consumes you." Zeref told Jace, watching as the boy's eyes widened in surprise. It was not a lie, what Zeref hat stated. Shadowhunters now only reminded him of Raziel, in all of his fire and glory, as he tore Mavis away from her home and her family. He would not forgive the angels for keeping her trapped in a place like that, where she simply longed to be free.

Alec touched Jace's shoulder, shaking his head slightly. With a sigh, Jace rose, putting his blade away with a scowl. "Never mind, you're not even worth our time. I guess you're not the demon we sensed earlier. Come on, Alec, let's go see if we can get this Sensor repaired." Jace stated, moving to leave. Zeref watched the shadowhunters go, only to see them pause, turning back towards him as they whispered amongst themselves. Zeref knew he hadn't alleviated their suspicions, not in the slightest. This was just the beginning of his problems in this world, but there was one hope that still existed. Natsu was here somewhere, and it was almost time for the end to come. Not even shadowhunters would be able to stop his greatest creation, making Zeref smile as he thought about his long-awaited peaceful rest.

 **So, I've decided that instead of leaving completely, I will be taking an extended break from writing for a while. After I finish the two stories I have that are almost complete (Guardians of Aincrad and Dragons, Fairies, and Dark Curses), all of my other stories will go on a temporary hiatus until my life gets less stressful and writing can seem like fun again, rather than work. Sorry for any of you disappointed, but I will be back one day and I do plan on finishing this story at some point!**

 **With that said, I've finally brought them to New York! I don't usually write much with The Mortal Instruments, so feel free to let me know if anyone is out of character and I'll do my best to improve a bit in the future. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Unwanted Guests

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Finding some place to go was a challenge, considering that it appeared that Zeref was far away from any type of wilderness. Major cities like this were always covered in lights and people, leaving Zeref struggling to find somewhere to simply sit and rest. Shadowhunters were out of the question for aiding him in that matter, but there was another idea he had. Perhaps a warlock, or a downworlder, would be willing to put up with him long enough to help him find a place to rest. They did not have the same technology as the angel-blooded humans, thus they would be unlikely to discover Zeref's true demonic nature.

This was why Zeref was sensing the life force of those around him, searching for those with magical ability. It was the simplest way to locate a warlock, or even a vampire. A warlock would have magic in their system, and quite a bit of it, while a vampire would stand out with their lack of life force. For some reason, Zeref found it odd that someone had eternal life yet no life force, but in a way it made sense. Their hearts had stopped beating, and in most ways of viewing them, that meant they were dead.

Zeref opened his eyes after a few moments, a slight smile on his face as he succeeded in his goal. Nearby, there was indeed a warlock available to aid him. Zeref began walking towards that individual, ignoring the mortals walking around him. So long as they did not bother him, he would be okay. He disliked others that decided to try and play pranks on him, much like that boy had done before. It led to Zeref making foolish mistakes and overreacting. While they provided brief amusement for the person responsible for the prank, in the end they were pointless and did not have any affect on the world that would last.

Before long, Zeref found himself standing in front of a door. The warlock was waiting within, based on what Zeref could sense. He sighed, hesitating for a moment as he debated what to say. There were few ways to ask a warlock for aid that did not reveal what he was, and risk having them try and banish him back to the Void. It wasn't like there was a warlock powerful enough to do so, but it did not change the fact that they would try. Shaking his head, Zeref knocked, deciding he would work something out soon. Hopefully, this warlock was one of the kinder ones, willing to let Zeref stay for a night until he discovered exactly where in this world he had entered.

"Ah, Alec, I've been wondering—you're not Alec." the warlock stated, as he opened the door and gazed down at Zeref. The demon frowned for a few moments, unsure of what to make of the cat-eyed man before him. The first word that came to mind was glitter, because the man was covered in it. He had a strange fashion sense it seemed, but Zeref focused little on it, moving on without question.

That name posed another issue, the same name given to one of the shadowhunters from before. Zeref had recalled that downworlders were ridiculed by shadowhunters, hated for what they were. Perhaps times had changed since then, if the warlock in front of him was friends with a shadowhunter. "Correct, I am not Alec." Zeref stated calmly, watching as the warlock frowned. A cat appeared by the glittery man's leg, rubbing against him and purring slightly before the warlock picked it up, petting its back as he focused on Zeref.

Being scrutinized was not unexpected, considering Zeref was a stranger to this man. "Well, if that's the case, I suggest you leave. I'm a very busy man, I don't have time for games with strangers." the warlock insisted, moving to close the door. Before it could close completely, Zeref used his teleportation magic to get inside. He was now standing behind the warlock, his black eyes gazing into the man's cat-eyes blandly.

"My dilemma is far more than a simple game, warlock." Zeref stated, watching as he blinked in surprise at Zeref's presence in his home. "I haven't the slightest idea of where I am, and am in need of aid in locating a place to rest." he continued, watching as the warlock scowled at him, putting the cat down and shaking his head.

"First the clave thinks I'm a babysitter, and now strangers are thinking this is a hotel service? This never ends, does it?" he complained, shaking his head as Zeref moved towards the living room. "Well, it appears you are making yourself at home already, regardless of my objections." the warlock added, while Zeref began to study everything that had changed since his last visit to this world. It appeared that technology had grown stronger, not only with the device the shadowhunters used to sense his presence, but also in other objects as well. A strange black box was on the wall, clearly used for some purpose, along with other objects that Zeref could not identify. He had to re-learn the ways of this world, it seemed, after his long absence.

He glanced back at the warlock, frowning slightly as he did so. "I am simply waiting for you to be ready to begin. To be honest, I'm surprised a warlock like you makes money. Your clients would be far too irritated by your attitude to continue business with you." Zeref stated, while the warlock laughed slightly, looking amused with his comment.

"No, I am only like this to guests who enter my house without permission, then proceed to inform me they plan on living here for some time." the warlock countered, while Zeref frowned, thinking back on his words. That had not been what he meant, but he supposed misinterpretation had been possible.

Gazing back at the warlock, Zeref nodded and sat down, watching as the warlock came into the room and did the same, looking far more relaxed than Zeref. "That was not my intention, I apologize for misspeaking earlier. I simply meant that I wished to ask for aid in finding another place to stay, a place quiet and away from people." Zeref stated, watching as the warlock stared at Zeref with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you know what a warlock does?" he asked, while Zeref nodded in response. "What makes you think that my talents are needed then? I work with magic, making portals, cures for demon poisons, that kind of thing. I am not a tour guide, nor am I a real estate agent. Go elsewhere to find your house, I have plans." the warlock insisted, while Zeref raised an eyebrow.

This could be a problem, if the warlock's plans included the shadowhunter he had mentioned earlier. "The reason I came to you is my business, in the end it should not be a troublesome matter for you." Zeref said after a few moments, while the warlock frowned at him, seeming interested for a few moments.

"You are strange, and that is my problem with you. Just who are you anyway? Shadowhunters come to me when they have need of me, and downworlders come for parties, but I don't think you quite fit into either category. I can see something in your eyes, an ageless pain that I've only ever seen in warlocks nearing the end of their time, the ones that simply wish for death to come after their emotions have faded away." the warlock commented, making Zeref realize just how observant this man was.

That ageless look should have made the warlock assume he was one of the half-demons that walked this world, but it seemed as if Zeref could not play that role. Glancing down at himself, he decided it was likely due to the lack of a warlock's mark on his body. "I suppose that statement is accurate enough. Tell me, warlock, who are you? That will earn yourself the right to my own name, a name that few can even recall these days." Zeref stated, a bit wary of this game. A warlock would be one of the few beings that might know of who he was, due to their age and their demonic heritage.

The warlock observed him for a few moments, seeming thoughtful before he leaned back in his chair, seeming far too relaxed considering the threat in his room. "Very well, as you wish. I am the magnificent Magnus Bane, the high warlock of Brooklyn. Now, I do believe it is your turn. Hurry up, because it is almost time for Chairman Meow's dinner." Magnus replied, glancing back towards where the cat was resting, still by the entrance of the house.

That name was enough to startle Zeref, a name he had heard long ago. Asmodeus, one of his Princes of Hell had been known for many warlock children, most of which had lost their lives already. Asmodeus was known for a longing for memories and emotions, rather bored with his own life and seeking the memories of others to satisfy himself. His children were prime candidates for him, due to their immortality they had a nearly endless stream of memories and emotions for the demon to feed off of. "Magnus Bane….ah, now I see." Zeref stated, realizing this also meant he was before a warlock of great power. The Princes of Hell gave birth to the strongest of warlocks, and Magnus was no exception, considering he had survived this long. "My name is Zeref Dragneel, that is all you need to know." Zeref insisted, watching Magnus frown slightly, his gaze narrowed at the demon before him.

Before he could speak, they were interrupted by yet another knock at the door. Zeref felt calm, believing it to simply be another client of Magnus', but the warlock seemed to be agitated by the sound. "What is with everyone today? Here I was, thinking I might be able to relax and spend a night out with Alec, but no one can go a single night without bringing all of their petty problems to me." he complained, opening the door with a slight frown on his face, clearly irritated by all the interruptions.

He was shoved aside almost immediately, the person walking inside as she began to speak. Zeref froze upon seeing her, unsure of what to do. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm kind of in a hurry. I don't have much time to explain, but I need a strong glamour spell, designed to—" she began, her voice cutting off as her gaze found Zeref in the living room. He stared at her green eyes, seeing a face he had never expected to see again, not until he began and finished his war with the heavens. Her blond hair was still just as long as before, dangling down to her ankles where Zeref discovered with slight amusement that she still wore no shoes. She was wearing a white tank top, loosely fit on her body along with a long pink skirt, covering most of her legs.

He watched as tears began to form in her eyes, her body suddenly running towards Zeref as she flung herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she collapsed on the seat with him. "Zeref….it's really you…." she whispered, sniffling slightly as Magnus raised an eyebrow at them, clearly confused by the situation.

"And it appears we have another guest who doesn't understand that _this_ is _my_ house." Magnus commented, shaking his head as he watched them.

Zeref was still in shock, feeling Mavis' small form on top of him as he almost instinctively moved to wrap his own arms around her. "Sorry….I just….oh! I didn't even think about it, I just blurted out…." Mavis began, still sounding a bit shocked herself. Zeref knew what she was about to say, what she was upset over. His name had always been a secret they both kept hidden, aware that in her world many knew of the Demon Emperor. Here, he wasn't even a myth, at least, he did not believe he was.

Zeref cut her off, giving her a slight smile as he pushed her hair away from her face. "It is just fine, Mavis. This world is quite different from where we were before, my name means little here." he told her, watching as she nodded, glancing back towards Magnus. He remembered that she had come here for the warlock, for a glamour spell. That told Zeref that she had learned at least some of this world's concepts, but it was clear that she did not know all of them. She was trying to hide once more, to avoid detection by the angels again. "Magnus will not be capable of doing as you ask, masking your magical aura would be a challenge for anyone. The reason you were able to hide for so long before was my own presence, canceling out the light of your energy." Zeref told her.

It made much sense to him, the reason why the angels struggled to find her in Magnolia. His demonic energy was the opposite of her light, and when together, it was hard to differentiate between the two. They nearly cancelled each other out to those searching for energy, making both of them seem far less dangerous than they actually were. "Is this a challenge I hear? Just what do you think I am incapable of glamouring? For the right price, I am capable of the most powerful of glamour spells, even for annoying house guests." Magnus told them.

Mavis hesitated, unsure of what to tell the warlock. Zeref saw that, sighing as he closed his eyes, realizing that things had just become far more complicated with her here. He would grow attached to this world as well, and then, Acnologia would come one day to destroy it. The cycle would continue, and in the end, he would only keep losing those he cared about. "I….I want you to hide….my, uh…" Mavis began, unsure of what to call it.

Zeref finished for her, well aware with the term for what she was looking for. "Her life energy, or more specifically, magical energy. Warlocks cannot sense it, Mavis, that is a gift only demons and angels possess." Zeref told her, watching as Magnus frowned, clearly confused by her request.

"A warlock, are you? Well, there is no need to hide your power, my dear. It is better to accept it than to run, trust me, I've seen plenty who tried to get rid of their true power. Most went insane from their attempts to blend in with mundanes, seeing too much death to live on after so many years." Magnus insisted, misinterpreting their request.

Mavis seemed confused, likely not familiar with the term mundanes, but Zeref was already moving to correct Magnus. "She is not a warlock, however, she is hunted by powerful beings." Zeref told him, not willing to say much beyond that.

"What did she do to piss off an angel? No offense, but if that's the kind of thing we're dealing with, I'd rather stay out of it. I just finished helping the shadowhunters fight their little war, I'm not getting involved in another one." Magnus stated.

Zeref understood this all too well, tired of the endless wars of all worlds. Barriers would weaken, and demons would invade, leading to death and pain. No one would be satisfied in the end, however, and all that would come from the battle was more pain for both sides, and a longing for more power. "Yes….I suppose I will not argue with you there. War is a pointless endeavor, but in the end, I suppose I do plan on waging one myself. Should heaven choose to fight once more, I will not be so weak as to let them win again." Zeref stated threateningly, feeling anger rise as he remembered Raziel once more, the way he came and stole Mavis away from her home.

Mavis looked at Zeref, her expression alarmed at the flash of red that was in his gaze. "Zeref! There is no need for such things, I will not allow you to harm them. They mean well, even if I wish to stay away." Mavis argued, while Zeref closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as Magnus seemed to take a step back, looking alarmed.

"Those eyes….so there's your mark. I didn't think I'd see one quite so alarming, you look quite deadly with eyes like that." Magnus commented, while Zeref glanced back up towards him, his eyes back to their normal color. Mavis had calmed him enough, but Magnus still had seen more than he should have.

Staring at Magnus, Zeref rose to his feet. "No, I have no mark, for much like Mavis, I am not a warlock." Zeref stated, watching as the warlock seemed to grow even more confused, trying to solve the puzzle before him.

"That doesn't make any sense….you don't seem like a vampire either, but I know I'm right about your immortality. You look like some of the ancient warlocks I used to be friends with….well, one of them went a bit crazy, but he was still my friend." Magnus commented.

Zeref wondered just who this friend was, until he briefly recalled a strange occurrence within the Void, one that had occurred during his time in Magnolia. He had sensed it, a portal between worlds that opened one-way, but unlike most, it did not allow passage into the world of the living. It only allowed the living to come to the Void, a strange wish for anyone. He had visited the dimension affected, Pandemonium, to see just what had caused such a thing. He found demons there, circling the corpse of a warlock, barely breathing but with a smile on his face. "Aldous….so, you knew of him." Zeref commented, remembering the name the demons had given the warlock. They had told stories of how they almost got the chance to take the life of another immortal, speaking to another warlock through the portal, but it had not been enough to convince him.

Staring at Magnus, who looked stunned by the name Zeref mentioned, the demon decided to continue on. "As ancient as he was, know that I am even older than that warlock. I have yet to meet a being who can rival me in terms of years. If you wish to know the fate of your friend, Aldous Nix perished at the hands of demons, long ago." Zeref stated, unsure if Magnus was aware of this.

The warlock seemed even more alarmed now, gazing at Zeref with wide eyes as he stood up, backing away slightly. "That…you can't be." Magnust began, shaking his head before finally seeming to accept what his mind was telling him. "Aldous went through a portal to the Void, a suicide mission. The only way you could know of his death is if you were there that night….or if you were in Pandemonium yourself when he arrived on the other side." Magnus stated, the assumption rather obvious in his tone.

Zeref smiled at Magnus, not a pleasant look as he rose to his feet, leaving Mavis alone on the couch as she watched them nervously. "Neither is true, I simply spoke to those that found him after. It did catch my attention, after all, a portal so different from what I'm used to sensing within the Void." Zeref commented, watching as Magnus seemed to pull out a strange box-like object. He was pressing buttons on it, and from Zeref's basic understanding of this world, it would likely signal for help. "I suggest leaving that device alone, Magnus Bane, because I am quite capable of bringing you to the place you fear more than anywhere else in the world." Zeref threatened, taking a new route to gaining what he needed.

Mavis blinked at Zeref in surprise, standing up and walking between both of the men, trying to keep them apart. "Zeref, enough! Magnus is offering to help us, you don't need to—" she began, but Zeref was shaking his head, focused on the warlock.

"You do not know this world, not like me. Raziel's children are here, battling with the power of angels running in their veins to destroy all demons. They do not care who stands in their path, if there is anything demonic in an individual, they fight to eliminate it." Zeref insisted, focusing once more on Magnus. "I suppose demons aren't much better, though. Asmodeus isn't all that kind to his children, is he, Magnus?" he taunted, watching the warlock narrow his gaze at Zeref.

"I said stop!" Mavis shouted, her hand held out in front of her and sending out a wave of light magic. It struck Zeref, sending him flying back into the wall as he stared at Mavis in shock, feeling a dull throb within him. The person he fought so hard for, the one he wished only to protect, she was turning on him. Her wide eyes seemed shocked by her own actions, but in the end, Zeref felt as if he knew this was coming. "No…Zeref, I didn't mean to…" Mavis began, but Zeref was smiling darkly, shaking his head at them.

"No, you simply did not realize what was meant to be." Zeref stated, standing up once more. "If you wish to keep your power hidden, I will gladly aid you. Kill me however many times you wish, in the end, it makes little difference. All worlds will fall, and ultimately, I will be the one that pays the price." Zeref stated, thinking of Acnologia and all of his regrets in life. He had lost Mavis because of his own creation, and now, he was losing her due to his own nature. Rage had always been a strong emotion within Zeref, and he cared little for the lives of others. Mavis and Natsu had been the only exceptions, the two mortals that had caught his attention during times of need.

Mavis stared at Zeref, as if finally realizing what his presence here meant. "Wait…why are you here? What happened…to Magnolia? To my friends?" Mavis asked, while Zeref glanced up at her grimly, his body already recovered from her brief attack.

"Acnologia. I told you, it would be impossible to stop his wrath." Zeref stated, watching as horror swept across her features, her legs giving out as she fell to the floor with her hands covering her mouth.

Magnus seemed to be staying away from both of them, focused on his phone as Zeref and Mavis continued speaking. "No….it's gone? All of them…" she stated, sounding lost and horrified.

Zeref stepped closer to her, gazing down towards her miserable expression. "Not quite, though that world has likely joined the dead dimensions now. Those that remained when Acnologia returned were brought here with me." Zeref told her, watching as she stared at him with wide eyes. "I assumed it was what you would want. I'll admit, I have fallen back into darkness since you left, but it does not mean that I have not tried to follow your guiding light when possible." Zeref told her.

Mavis smiled at him, not quite recovered completely but looking somewhat better after his words. Zeref sat down in front of her, watching as she reached over and hugged him, sighing happily as Zeref pressed his forehead against hers. "Well, it looks like I'm back now. I guess it'll just take a bit more effort for this fairy to guide her spriggan to light." she commented, making Zeref smile. Perhaps she could do such a thing. If she could, he would have no need for Natsu to come. Then again, Acnologia was still out there, waiting to be stopped. Either way, even if they had this brief happiness, it would not stop the darkness that existed in other worlds. Something had to change to stop Acnologia, Zeref simply hoped that this world would have an answer.

 **Alright, I guess I'm sort of back from break...but I won't be promising a whole lot. Updates are no longer scheduled, since I realized a lot of my stress from writing was coming from trying to meet the deadlines I was giving myself. So, instead they'll be random and sporadic...sorry for that, but I really don't want to add more stress from what I'm doing to enjoy myself.**

 **Also, have I mentioned that I really just love Magnus' character? I've never tried writing him before, but I couldn't help but smile a lot as I wrote this chapter...imagining his reaction to Zeref and Mavis breaking into his apartment. The bit about Aldus came from the Bane Chronicles, if any of you were wondering. I just thought it'd be interesting if Zeref knew about that event somehow, and this was the result. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and as for the mystery of Mavis' return...that will be explained in the future, just not quite yet. Until then, feel free to review with any feedback you have for me! Reviews keep me inspired to update more often, and make me want to write more!**


	7. Insanity at the Institute

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Clary was training with Izzy back at the institute, still needing work even after going through her experience in the demon realms. She had gone where no other shadowhunter had been, stopping Sebastian at a great cost. Now, she was still waiting to hear about Simon's chance of ascending, and she needed to distract herself. She hadn't heard much on his situation since they brought him to Magnus, and she wanted to make sure her friend found a way to get back to who he used to be.

Sparring with Izzy was often painful, though it wasn't as bad as it could be. She wasn't used to training with other shadowhunters like this, after spending so much time learning from Jace. While her boyfriend took her training seriously, they often got more breaks for making out than they likely should have been doing. That meant she was breathing hard, trying to block Isabelle's every attack with their training blades in the room.

They danced across the floor, Isabelle slashing down with her wooden sword as Clary moved to block with her own. The clang of the two weapons echoed around them as Clary did her best to attack back, only for Isabelle to dodge to the left, retaliating quickly with a sweep of her leg. Clary jumped over the kick, doing her best to keep her balance as Isabelle smiled, swinging her stick towards Clary while she was airborne, this time striking Clary's side. "Nice work, but it looks like you still need some practice." Isabelle commented, while Clary rubbed her side, raising her stick back towards Izzy with a determined expression on her face.

"Let's go again. I'm going to beat you at least once before we're done here." Clary insisted, while Isabelle laughed, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

"I've been doing this for years, you may have a few extra talents, but you've got a lot of work before you can beat any of us." Isabelle commented, comparing Clary to the rest of her friends. It didn't stop Clary from trying, at least, as they resumed their training exercise, wooden swords clashing as Jace and Alec entered the room, both of them looking concerned.

They had been on patrol for the night, searching for demons in town like their job was supposed to be. It felt strange, taking a step back from villains like Sebastian and Valentine, but it was actually what their job was meant to be. Clary had yet to join them on patrols of that nature, but she knew it would happen soon. She was called for back-up if they got into a major fight right now, but the scouting out for demons was done by the more experienced shadowhunters. Even with experience from both wars, their numbers were needed at the moment and the Clave was afraid of risking more lives than necessary for simply tasks such as this.

That was why it was only Jace and Alec patrolling New York tonight, even though Jace was supposed to be heading the Institute here. "What's up?" Isabelle asked them, stopping when she saw the looks on their faces. Jace walked straight to Clary, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead as a greeting, before focusing back towards the others.

"Something strange. Jace and I found a demon tonight, but it wasn't like any demon I've seen before." Alec commented, sounding a bit lost.

Jace scoffed, shaking his head. "I told you not to worry, that thing wasn't worth our time. Our Sensor is broken, that's all it was." Jace argued, pulling out the device and handing it over to Isabelle.

Clary didn't quite understand what could break a device meant to sense demon energies, but it probably was like most devices with its own faults. "What was wrong with it? Did it not sense the demon's presence?" Clary asked, while Jace and Alec both shook their heads.

"No….the readings were off the charts, even higher than what we'd expect from a Greater Demon." Alec commented, before focusing on Clary again. "On top of that, he also claimed that we would—" Alec began, before something bizarre happened. They had been talking like usual, but something seemed to shimmer in the air before them, reminding Clary almost of a portal as people appeared out of no where in the training room.

Before Clary was a group of four people, all of them looking to be teenagers with strange appearances. If there had been a convention in town, Clary would have thought they were cosplayers or something dressing up as their favorite manga character. One of them had pink hair, dressed in a black vest with a white scarf wrapped around his neck. The girl by his side had long blond hair, with a blue skirt held up by a brown belt. Her shirt wast white, with a strange design that looked like a cross between a heart and a cross. Behind them was another boy, who Clary did her best to turn away from quickly. He had black hair, but for some reason, he had nothing but a pair of boxers on. Next to him stood a girl completely dressed in armor, with scarlet hair and a calm expression.

Jace stared at them with wide eyes beside his friends, both groups just as confused as they stared at each other. The pink haired boy sniffed the air, looking rather strange as he stepped closer to them, narrowing his gaze at the shadowhunters before him. "Hmm…you smell funny." he declared, while his friends seemed to sigh. The blond one pulled him back by his scarf, putting some space between Clary and the boy before things got too uncomfortable.

"Knock it off, Natsu. I can't believe you sometimes, can't you just be normal for once!" she complained, while Natsu seemed oblivious, not quite grasping the issue.

"Huh? I was being normal. You're the one that's weird, Luce." he commented. Clary was struggling to figure out what was going on, while Alec and Jace shared a look.

"He wasn't lying, it seems. I guess it's a good thing they're here, at least. Now, they get to be greeted by my amazing charm rather than some boring old mundane." Jace commented, making Clary glance at him with confusion.

Alec stared at her with sympathy, seeming to understand why she was lost. "It's what he told us. The demon claimed that he brought the residents of a dying dimension to our world, but neither of us could figure out why he would do such a thing. To be honest, he wasn't like a normal demon, trying to kill and destroy our world." Alec commented, while Jace shook his head in disagreement.

"He's deceiving us, I know it. Alec, we've always known that it is in their nature to deceive us and trick us to get what they want. Demons are unnatural and it is our job to kill them, don't forget that." Jace argued.

The scarlet haired woman seemed to focus on them, catching one word out of their conversation. "Demons? I'm sorry, but is this place plagued by them as well? We seem to be having an odd amount of demon attacks lately, for a land that has been so peaceful for years." she commented, while Natsu seemed to be picking a fight with the half-naked boy behind her now. Lucy was simply trying to stay out of their way, and Erza was oblivious to the fight behind her.

"Peaceful? We've been at war with demons for decades, where the hell have you been?" Isabelle demanded, while Erza frowned, clearly not quite understanding what was going on.

She turned to speak with her comrades, stopping slightly when she saw the battle between Natsu and Gray. Clary didn't quite understand the insanity that was going on in front of her, but she winced slightly as the armored woman clashed both of their heads together. "Stop this fighting at once! Can't you see that we have a problem here?" the woman demanded, while both boys grimaced slightly, rubbing their heads.

"Hey, sorry about my friends, they can be a little crazy. Can you tell me where we are and how to get to Magnolia? None of us really know what happened….or how we even left to be honest." the blond asked, stepping forward while the scarlet haired woman focused on criticizing Natsu and his friend.

Clary had never heard of such a city, which was strange. Did these people really come from a place like Pandemonium, where warriors had fought back against demons yet lost? She had seen evidence of it within the demon realm, evidence of another world's version of shadowhunters. Maybe that demon Alec and Jace had seen was telling the truth, that these people had just escaped a dire situation involving demons. "Right now you're in New York, specifically at the Institute." Clary told them, while her friends seemed a bit irritated.

"Clary, enough. They could be dangerous, we shouldn't trust them." Jace stated, pulling her back slightly. Alec was wary as well, likely due to the fact that a demon had informed them of the presence of these strangers.

Lucy seemed saddened by their reactions, her face falling as she turned back towards the others. "I see….I guess I can't ask for much help then. You see, Erza wasn't lying before. Our home was quite peaceful when I was growing up, but recently….demons have been invading from all over. People are dying, and no one is safe anymore. The only jobs available for us wizards involve slaying demons, and that's dangerous work that has led to most of our guild members being killed." she stated, sounding sad over her loss of her friends.

The shadowhunters had been too focused on the strangers to notice the Sensor at the moment, the way it was acting up as if a demon were near. Only now did Alec glance at it, moving to set it aside before he froze, gazing at the group in front of him. "No…Jace, look! It's doing it again." Alec insisted, showing it to his _parabatai._ Jace glanced at it, narrowing his gaze at the strangers as he pulled out one of his seraph blades, prepared to fight.

"So, one of them is a demon too? How'd it get into the Institute? We've put up wards recently, didn't we?" Jace asked, watching as Isabelle nodded, pulling out her electrum whip to help back up Jace.

Natsu stepped forward, seeing the weapons being drawn. "So, you guys wanna fight, huh? Well, I'll show you what happens when you mess with Fairy Tail!" he promised, shocking all of them when flames appeared and began coating his fists. The scarlet haired woman stood by his side, drawing her sword, as the naked boy stood in a strange stance, his legs spread apart with his fist clasped in the palm of his other hand.

Lucy looked nervous, watching them all as she slowly pulled out what looked like a keyring. "I will not allow you to harm my friends, regardless of where you come from!" Erza declared, while Clary continued to frown at them. Did they all give speeches about friendship?

Jace had other comments to make, however, more focused on Natsu than he was on Erza. "Fairy Tail? Come on, even I can do better than that for a name. Might as well be the Pretty Princesses, it sounds just as threatening to me." he commented, swinging his seraph blade around as he prepared to fight.

"You guys, stop it! Jace, didn't you just say that Sensor was broken?" Clary demanded, stopping them just seconds before an actual battle began. Jace nodded slowly, keeping his gaze locked on the wizards before them. "Then it's probably wrong now. None of these people are demons, they're just regular people who need our help." Clary insisted, seeing Lucy smile at her gratefully.

"Thank you, I'm so glad that someone is willing to help us." she stated, holding out her hand to shake Clary's. "I'm Lucy, by the way. These are my friends, Natsu, Gray, and Erza." she stated, introducing the others behind her.

Natsu looked disappointed to not be fighting, pouting into his scarf as he glanced away. Gray gave a small wave as he stood calmly in the room, still seemingly unaware of his lack of clothing. Erza inclined her head, giving Clary a smile as she stepped forward by Lucy's side. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Clary, and the blond behind me is Jace, my boyfriend. The black haired boy is Alec, Jace's _parabatai,_ and the other girl is Alec's sister, Isabelle." Clary stated, introducing her own group as well.

Alec was now focused on his phone, but the others grudgingly waved towards the newcomers, only slightly less tense then they had been before. "I am unfamiliar with that term. Tell me, are there other guilds nearby that could aid us? They might be able to tell us the direction to Fairy Tail from here." Erza asked, confused with Clary's introduction of Alec. She moved on quickly, however, more focused on finding her home it seemed than on understanding where she was.

"Guild? Do you mean, clubs of some kind? We don't exactly have guilds for anything around here." Clary asked, while Natsu stepped forward, shaking his head at her.

"Nah, she means a wizard's guild! You know, a place where wizards gather to work and stuff." he told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Jace glanced at her, looking a bit concerned as he shook his head at them.

"Damn, maybe I should have listened to that idiot's claim. Warlocks without demonic blood, it seems like it's actually is possible." he commented, watching as Gray narrowed his eyes at Jace, not looking pleased with the comment.

"Don't compare us to monsters like that, you hear? My family was killed by a demon, I'm not going to let a single one of them live after they destroyed my home." Gray argued, his expression cold and angry.

"Calm down, hot-head, we weren't planning on calling you a demon." Isabelle commented, while Gray seemed to get even more irritated.

His gaze flickered over to Natsu, before turning back to Izzy. "Don't go comparing me to Natsu, you brainless bimbo! He's the flame brain around here, not me." Gray argued, while Natsu seemed to grow angry, about ready to shout back another insult. That was before Erza glared at both of them, making them instantly calm down and wrap their arms around each other, smiling brightly at her as if nothing had happened. "Sorry, m'am! I meant nothing mean by it at all, Natsu and I are always the best of friends!" Gray stated immediately, while Clary did her best to follow this insanity.

Alec glanced up at them, his face pale as fear seemed to enter his expression. "Guys, we've got to go. Jace, remember that demon from before?" Alec asked, watching as Jace nodded, turning away from the newcomers briefly. "I just got a text from Magnus. I think the demon is at my boyfriend's house."

Clary didn't need to hear anything more to get ready for a fight. She was already in gear anyway, wearing it to get used to moving around in it during training. With her stele in hand, she planned on creating a portal to take them to Magnus' in an instant, while Alec and Jace followed behind. "We're coming with you. You're gonna need some back-up if you're fighting against demons. No offense, but your magic power seems weak, you don't stand a chance against them." Gray insisted, following behind them.

Jace glanced back at him, frowning slightly. "Really? Man, here I was thinking we'd get a break from the sight of naked men. I guess Magnus will enjoy the view, but I had hoped to avoid causing more problems in his relationship with Alec." Jace commented, while Gray glanced down in confusion, staring in shock at his body.

"What? How did that happen?" he demanded, while Clary stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"How do you not notice losing all of your clothes?" she demanded, while Lucy sighed, shaking her head.

It was clear that the blond was used to this at least, and just as irritated as Clary was by their antics. "You get used to it. That's Gray's fun little quirk, he has a bit of a stripping habit." she commented, while Clary began to wonder just how someone would develop such a habit. Still, with all of them behind her, she prepared herself to bring them all to Magnus', in the hopes that they could stop this demon attacking the warlock's home.

 **And now Fairy Tail has met the shadowhunters! I hope you are all excited for what comes next, I know I am. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	8. A Demon Necromancer

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Clary walked over to the nearest door, deciding it was best to just let them come without argument as she began to draw on the doorknob. "Hope Magnus has enough room for all these people, I don't think he was expecting company." Jace commented, but Alec was too nervous to really say much about it. Jace was doing his best to try and joke around for Alec, but all of them could see the worry on his face, worry over just what this demon would be doing at Magnus' home.

Before long, her portal was complete and Clary was reaching for the door, grabbing onto Jace's hand as they all formed a chain to pass through. The sickening sensation washed through them all briefly, but Clary had gotten used to it just like the other shadowhunters. What she hadn't been expecting was Natsu's reaction. When they landed, the pink haired boy seemed to collapse on the ground, vomiting almost instantly as he hunched over. "Oh man….that's worse than any boat I've ever been on….where's Wendy and her troia spell when you need her…." he complained, vomiting even further on the ground.

In front of them was a strange sight, two people sitting on the ground that seemed to be nearly total opposites in appearance. One was a girl, with light blond hair and a long pink skirt, with a white tank top on. Her forehead was pressed to a boy across from her, a boy with pitch black hair and a robe that seemed to match that color as well. The only color on him was the white of his sash, and a strange necklace around his neck. His gaze flickered over to them as they arrived, frowning as he noticed their presence.

Magnus stood across from them, on the other side of the strangers in his living room. "Ah, finally! The cavalry has arrived, please tell me you can deal with these intrusive guests of mine." Magnus pleaded, while the boy stood up, looking somewhat irritated.

"You are lucky that Mavis is here, warlock. If not for her, you would have found yourself at your father's side for this." Zeref stated, while Magnus stared at the boy as if he was insane.

"I don't care how old you are, not even you could force open a portal to the demon realms and drag me into it. Well, at least not before I ran away." Magnus argued, clearly having been involved with this discussion for a while.

The boy seemed to disagree, turning back towards him briefly before waving his hand in the air. A black circle seemed to appear in the air, but Clary could feel the pull of it from where she stood, trying to drag everything here into its center. It was a portal, the likes of which none of them had seen before. "Creating portals is quite simple; it is how I brought everyone from Magnolia here. As you can see, it seems a few of them have already encountered the shadowhunters of this dimension." Zeref commented, observing them with amusement. "Natsu….I didn't expect to see you so soon." he added, glancing at the boy that was only just beginning to recover from the portal to this place.

The portal beside Zeref closed, his demonstration complete as Clary stepped forward, pulling out a seraph blade of her own. "Stay back! I don't care who you are, these people came to us for help and it is our job to protect them." she insisted, but someone else got in the way. The girl got up from the floor, moving to stand in front of Zeref with her arms spread out protectively in front of the demon.

"No! I will not let you hurt Zeref!" she declared, her gaze locking on them as she focused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Clary screamed when a massive bear came from nowhere in the room, chasing after the shadowhunters and forcing them to scatter. She dove to the side as it charged, roaring at them all.

Erza stood still, however, not even flinching as she pulled out her sword and slashed through it, as if it were nothing but air. Clary saw with wide eyes that it actually was air, nothing more than an illusion before them. "Mavis, stay out of this!" Zeref ordered, glaring at her. "They will not attack you, they are of Raziel's blood. All they wish to do is destroy me." Zeref stated, while they all watched the girl freeze, looking stunned at his news.

"Oh, so you know what we are? That makes things easier, you know what happens when this stabs through your flesh then." Jace commented, waving his seraph blade in the air. Isabelle lashed out with her whip while Zeref focused on Jace, letting it wrap around the demon's legs as he frowned. He did not make any sound like Clary expected. Demons often either enraged after being attacked, or at least shrieked in pain in some form. This one just acted as if nothing happened, simply staring as ichor seemed to pool underneath Izzy's whip.

Jace charged forward, while Zeref stood still, not even bothering to defend himself. "Satisfy your rage. I told you before, I saw the fire of heaven in you before, boy. In the end, neither of us will win, not when I am walking a new path in life, unable to find an end." Zeref commented, confusing Clary as Jace's blade stabbed through the demon's chest. Mavis screamed in horror, rushing towards Zeref who seemed to stagger back, glancing at Mavis with a look of alarm.

"No…I forgot you were….don't call him…." he stated after a few moments, clutching his chest tightly as he crouched down, his eyes closed.

Alec stared with wide eyes, as did Magnus from behind them. "He should be vanishing….back to his own dimension." Alec commented, while Gray stepped forward, determined to end this.

"I'll deal with him. Ice Make: Lance!" he declared, pillars of ice forming and piercing through Zeref's body. More ichor seemed to fall from his form, black and dripping onto the ground but he still did not vanish from sight.

Mavis was crying, glancing up at them with those tear filled eyes. "Please, stop this! Zeref isn't going to hurt you, he isn't evil! I promise, he helped me defend my home from demons, he isn't like the others." she insisted, begging for this to stop.

Clary was confused by the chaos that happened next. Natsu had doubled over in pain, a wound appearing on his shoulder just after he had risen to his feet to fight. Zeref seemed to see this, reaching under his robe with a look of worry to pull out a book. Clary couldn't quite see any details about it, only that a massive hole was in the book, likely from Gray's attack. "Natsu…." Zeref whispered, before sighing, closing his eyes and pressing his hand against the cover of the book. Black sparks danced from his hand, spreading across the cover until they reached the hole. Slowly, the magic began to compress at that spot, working to mend the break in the book. He seemed to care little about what the others were doing, about how Gray and Lucy were standing by Natsu, struggling to see exactly what had happened to him.

Clary was still staring at Zeref, confused as she tried to figure out just what he was doing. That book shouldn't be all that important, at least not in her mind. Sure, she loved reading manga at times, but she could always get a new one if it got damaged. "What the hell happened to him? The demon didn't even try to fight back, he shouldn't be hurt." Isabelle commented from next to Clary, going over to help Natsu and his friends. Clary wondered that herself, realizing this may be beyond their understanding. If they really did come from another world, they could have powers that no shadowhunter had ever heard about.

"No I did not." Zeref stated calmly, standing up and lifting the book with him. His gaze seemed calm as he looked over them all, shocking them as they saw that his injuries were healing. His clothing was still torn apart, and covered in ichor, but his skin was sealing over all the wounds he had received. "To be quite honest, I had hoped your attack would work. I've never tried to have a shadowhunter slay me, but it seems as it even that is impossible." he informed them, sighing as he gazed over to Mavis, who was still looking upset and terrified. "Luckily, the damage you've done to the book was not permanent, otherwise Natsu would have perished. Know that he only lives because of me, Fairy Tail. If you do manage to destroy me, he will perish as well."

Clary felt as if a stone had dropped into her gut, even though she wasn't even close to Natsu. No one's life should hang in the balance like that, it just wasn't right that he was using Natsu to protect himself. "How could you say that? You are just hiding behind their friend to save your own life!" Clary cried, while Zeref shook his head, looking sadly over at them.

"Not at all. As I stated before, I had hoped to die today." Zeref told them, before turning towards Mavis, his hand stretched towards her. "It seems that death is still beyond my reach. Perhaps my time is better spent fulfilling a promise I made long ago." he commented.

Clary had no idea what he was talking about, but Mavis' eyes seemed to light up grabbing Zeref's arm rather than just his outstretched hand. She looked rather clingy to him, and for some reason, Clary couldn't help but see them as a cute couple. "How the hell did a demon get a girlfriend like that?" Jace demanded from behind her, just as lost as she was.

Mavis wasn't paying attention, focused on Zeref with stars in her eyes. "Really? You're taking me to see a fairy?" she asked, while Alec shook his head, looking stressed by all of today's events.

Magnus walked over to them, grinning as he joined his friends. "I'm just as lost as you guys are. Tell me, what's with that girl and fairies?" he asked, turning to the people that seemed to be from another dimension at the moment.

Gray frowned, staring at them for a few moments. "The demon…he called her Mavis, didn't he?" he asked, watching as the others nodded. "She can't be…I've heard stories about her, about the fairy that blessed our home with magic. She gave everyone the power to fight back once the demons first came to our land, and it was her love for Spriggan that allowed her to access heaven's power and fend off the most powerful demon of all." he insisted, his expression dark. "I guess it didn't stop them from coming back, though." he added.

Zeref glanced over at him, his gaze looking rather irritated with Gray's comment. Still, he said nothing as he moved to leave with Mavis by his side, glancing back to the warlock briefly. "It seems as if I no longer require your assistance, Magnus. Do be careful, I know someone that is quite eager to take your life away should you venture too far away from home." he commented after a few moments.

Magnus frowned, while Alec gazed at him in confusion, looking curious to hear about what Zeref knew. "Damn him, crazy demon. First, he breaks into my home and demands that I help him find a house. Does he know what a warlock's magic is supposed to be for?" Magnus complained, before sitting on the couch, comfortable without the presence of Zeref and Mavis. "That guy was creepy, kept talking about my father too." he added darkly, trying to sound light-hearted but failing slightly as a hint of his own concern entered his voice.

"That portal he opened up, would it have really brought us to the Void?" Jace asked, joining Magnus in the living room. The others were slowly calming down as well, watching as Natsu stood. His wound was healed, as if nothing had happened, but they all remembered how blood had appeared after Gray attacked Zeref. Clary didn't understand why, it just didn't make any sense.

Magnus was nodding, looking somewhat alarmed as he leaned back in his chair. "Oh yes, I could feel it. I've been near a portal to the Void before, I know what that pull feels like." he commented, sighing. "Man, that demon even knew about that, talking about Aldous like they were best friends or something." he complained.

"Look, I understand that this demon is a problem, but I'm more worried about our comrade. Have any of you seen something like this, something like body link magic between two people?" Erza asked, watching as they stared at her with a frown.

Magnus focused on her, sighing as he shook his head. "Darling, I don't think anyone understands what body link magic is, let alone what happened with your friend. If I had to take a guess, based on what I saw, that demon was a necromancer. Strange, I've never really seen that type of magic in action, but it wouldn't surprise me if the life returned was linked to the life of the spell caster." Magnus commented, watching as the Fairy Tail members all glanced at each other with concern.

Natsu was frowning, trying to figure out what his words meant it seemed. Clary understood, though, that this meant that at some point in time, Natsu had been dead. "Wait, are you telling me I'm dead? That doesn't make any sense!" Natsu insisted, glaring at them.

Alec looked interested, as did his sister who was silently listening in for now. "A necromancer? That's…we haven't had one in centuries. It was banned long ago; the spells involved were dark magic that often required body parts and blood to cast." he commented, watching as Magnus nodded, a grimace on his face.

"Well, considering this is a demon we're talking about, I don't think he has any qualms about using magic such as this. It isn't as if he is held up to the standards of any of your Laws, though he is odd. The entire time he was here, I never once saw a sign that he was searching for life energy to drain, like most of his kind. Instead, he just seemed….sad, in a way." Magnus commented, frowning slightly. "The best way to describe it, is that he reminds me of the oldest warlocks I've known. The ones that have forgotten how to feel anything, that are simply waiting for death to arrive. He has the same look in his eyes, the look of a man just wishing to die."

Jace stared at him as if he were insane, not quite believing it. "So, you're telling me that we just met a suicidal demon? Magnus, no such thing exists, you must have blinded yourself with all that glitter today." he insisted, while Clary began to frown, questioning who was right.

Lucy was the one who spoke though, staring over at Magnus. "He did say he wanted us to win. I think that your friend is right, Zeref actually wants to die. You all saw it, even with all of us attacking him he still survived." she insisted, watching as Alec and Isabelle glanced over at her in surprise.

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest, looking thoughtful. "I hate to admit it, but the blonde has a point. That guy was just asking to die, he didn't even try fighting back. If the readings you guys sensed before were correct, we wouldn't have stood a chance against him if he actually tried." she insisted.

Clary nodded in agreement, while Erza slammed her fist on the table, interrupting them once more. "Enough of this! I told you, our comrade is more important than discussing our plan for this demon. If Zeref holds the key to ending Natsu's life, we must not let him keep it. We will do anything to protect the lives of our family, that is the Fairy Tail way." she insisted.

Magnus stared at her with a bored look, shaking his head. "Well, you heard what they said. They'll be heading to the Seelie Court from the sounds of it, though I still haven't the faintest idea of why they're even interested in such a thing." he commented, frowning as he shook his head. Clary had to agree, based on her time there herself. Fairies weren't all that pleasant to be around, and she had no intention of going back again. It wasn't that hard to follow through on that goal, either, not with the way things were changing right now. She had heard rumors of laws going in to place, banning contact with the Fair Folk and forcing them off of the council. It was so different from what Clary had fought for, but she knew she wasn't influential enough to stop it. The fairies were being punished for aiding Sebastian, and now, it seemed like their entire race would suffer for who knew how long.

"Wait….going after Zeref seems like a bad idea you guys. I mean, he said that if we killed him, Natsu would die too. How can we fight against him then, when we can't use our full power?" Lucy asked, sounding afraid of what to do.

Natsu grinned at her, looking like he didn't have a concern about this. "Who care's what he says? I'm gonna burn that demon into a crisp for hurting my friends and taking Mavis. No one steals away the inspiration for our guild without picking a fight with us!" he declared, while Gray punched Natsu for being so stupid.

"Knock it off, you idiot! We've got to think this one through. Besides, it actually looked like she wanted to be with the demon, as strange as it sounds. Mavis was protecting him for some reason." Gray stated, sounding worried for Mavis. Clary was lost as to who Mavis was, but she did understand the reason for their concern. No one should be defending a demon, but it seemed like Mavis was willing to try. She had begged for Zeref's life to be spared, insisting that he wasn't evil for some reason.

She wondered if Mavis was right, if there was something different about Zeref as opposed to the other demons she had fought. Most of them were monsters, incapable of speech beyond growling and hissing. They sought to destroy everyone, and steal the lives away from other worlds. "Well, to be honest, he didn't seem all that bad until he started threatening me. I told him I wouldn't help, and that seemed to make him mad." Magnus commented, trying to help somewhat with what he knew.

"Wait, he was here for a while before you called? I thought you said he was a powerful demon!" Alec demanded, looking a bit upset that he hadn't been called sooner.

Magnus stared at his boyfriend, giving him a sheepish smile. "I didn't realize it until he got angry. That's what makes him so dangerous, he blends in. Didn't seem like much, maybe a warlock or vampire, but definitely not like a demon." he insisted. "Besides, we aren't talking about him right now, we are talking about the zombie boy over here." Magnus added, gesturing to Natsu who glared at him for the nickname.

"Hey! I told you, I ain't dead!" he insisted, clearly not happy with the term.

Clary stared at him, unsure of who to trust. That book had clearly been the source of Natsu's injury, that much she was sure of. When Zeref fixed the book, Natsu was also healed. "There's more to this then what we're seeing here. Your life is linked to that book, Natsu, that much I am certain of." Clary insisted, still trying to figure out something more. As she thought, flashes began dancing through her mind, images of something that didn't make much sense. A massive black demon, a _dragonidae_ , roaring in the sky flashed in her mind. The image faded away almost as soon as it came, making her blink a few times as she rubbed at her head.

She hadn't been given visions in quite some time, not since the battle against Sebastian. It frightened her, having them again. Clary didn't understand what she was supposed to do with this, who that demon was supposed to be. "Clary, are you okay?" Jace asked, seeing the expression on her face. The others seemed to notice something off about her as well, watching as she stood up.

"I…sorry, it's nothing." Clary said at last, not wanting them to be worried. It wasn't like they would be able to do anything about it either, not with how little she had seen. At least, that was what she thought before she saw Magnus gasp, doubling over as he collapsed on the floor, his eyes rolling up into the back of his head. Alec rushed over to him immediately, trying to help, but nothing seemed to be snapping him out of whatever daze Magnus was in. Clary felt helpless as she watched him, her mind still filled with a single ominous image of a dragon as Magnus passed out on the ground.

 **I feel kind of bad. I've been focusing so much on Karma of Contradictions that I've neglected on all of my other stories...however, I still have plans for all of them so don't be too worried about them staying incomplete. With that said, I am wondering what you guys think of my characterization at the moment. I've done quite a bit of work with Fairy Tail characters, but I still feel like I'm kind of struggling with getting Clary and the other shadowhunters down correctly. What do you guys think? Do they seem off to you, or am I doing okay? Reviews would really help, feel free to give me feedback on other parts of the story too!**


	9. Moonlit Dance

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Zeref found himself feeling a bit dazed as he left with Mavis. This still felt somewhat like a dream, as if none of this was truly happening. Not only had he found Mavis once more, free from the heavens, he had also encountered Natsu again. The boy had grown, a young man now from what Zeref had seen. Zeref couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of that child, even though he had no hand in the raising of Natsu. It was done by one of his own demons, but that did not mean Zeref had not watched the boy from time to time.

Zeref had no issues finding the entrance to the Fair Folk's home. He had been there before, interested in meeting the beings who claimed to be born of demons and angels. When he met them, he learned that they were quick to hide things with mysterious words, telling the truth while hiding it at the same time. None of them revealed their true origins to him, and that left Zeref with an intriguing mystery to investigate from time to time. "Zeref, what did you do to that boy?" Mavis asked him quietly from his side, looking curious as she gazed over at him.

Zeref hesitated, unsure of how to reply. He may have given Natsu a second chance at life, but if he wasn't careful, all of that boy's humanity would perish in an instant, as his demonic power came to light. "I gave him a second chance, that is all." Zeref said at last, not wanting to explain further. "I suppose I have my own question for you, though. How did you manage to get here, to this world?" Zeref asked, not giving her the chance to dig deeper.

Mavis smiled at him, looking proud at her achievement. "I snuck in! Someone summoned Raziel to this place a while back. I used that as a chance to escape, when he was distracted. The portal was already open, I just had to sneak past the boy that was talking to him. It wasn't that hard, since he was already terrified of Raziel's fire." she stated proudly. Zeref knew that it was likely harder than she claimed, considering it was hard to get past the senses of an angel. Raziel must have been quite distracted by this boy if he missed Mavis leaving. Either that, or she had conceived of a much more complex plan to leave her home.

Regardless of what truly happened, Zeref was happy to see her freed from the place she hated so much. "Well, let us hope that you can stay free. If you trust me, I can attempt to mask your magical aura from those that are searching for it, but it would require me using my own power on you, hiding that light by shrouding it in darkness." Zeref told her, watching as she laughed off his words, patting his arm as if it was nothing.

"Of course I trust you! Just like I said before, you aren't evil. You may have made a few mistakes, but you are doing your best to be good, and that's all that matters to me." Mavis insisted, smiling brightly at him. It made Zeref feel warm, hearing that she could still trust him implicitly even after all of this time. No one gave him that kind of trust, in any world. Demons were always expecting him to grow angry and stab them in the back, while mortals were expecting him to rampage and destroy everything around him. Zeref wanted to be on neither path, neither an enemy to mortals nor an ally to demons. He was done with all of their problems, he simply wanted to follow his own path and find a way to rest in peace.

Zeref grabbed her hand, smiling as they neared the entrance to the land of the Fair Folk. "You still are capable of seeing the best in me, Mavis. Before we begin, allow me to fulfill a promise I made you long ago." he told her, watching as he eyes lit up with joy. She truly was far more excited about this than she should be, but Zeref did not wish to crush her enthusiasm. "Follow me, we are nearly there." he told her, stepping forward into the pond nearby, where the moonlight was reflecting off of the surface.

Mavis joined him, both of them wading into the water until it reached Zeref's ribs, nearly up to Mavis' chin with her height. He smiled at her, turning around as he took another step back, feeling the darkness swallow him as he fell into the moonlit water. Mavis gasped in surprise, following after him just as he knew she would, falling just as he did. He saw her stumble as she landed, trying to catch her balance on the earth beneath their feet. Zeref caught her, helping her regain her balance with a slight look of amusement on his face. "Careful, places like this are ancient and I do not think the Fair Folk would take kindly to those that cause harm to their home." he told her.

Mavis nodded, giving him an embarrassed smile as her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Thanks. I guess I won't get any credit for being graceful, huh?" she commented, laughing slightly as she moved on quickly, staring at the underground cavern around her in amazement. Everything seemed so natural and earthy down here, it had been some time since Zeref visited this place. He followed after Mavis calmly, not too concerned about the usual dangers of this realm. Any bindings that the fairies created to keep them in this place were easily broken, and their traps to force them to remain until death were weak and unconcerning to immortals such as them.

Before long, they found themselves in a different room, this one filled with hauntingly sweet music. Around them, Zeref could see the Fair Folk dancing without a care in the world, all of them otherworldly and graceful in their movements. To many, it was quite lovely to see, and it often tempted them to join in and dance until they found death. Mavis' eyes were wide at the sight, staring at them for a few moments in shock. "So…these are fairies. I guess they don't have tails after all, Zera. I've finally found our answer….and brought an end to our adventure." she commented, before turning towards Zeref with a bright smile.

He should have seen this coming, her reaction to this place and the Fey's way of life. She grabbed his hand, dragging Zeref forward towards the dancing fairies, laughing as she did so. "Mavis, you do realize that this area is designed to draw you in like this, don't you?" he asked, watching as she shook her head at him, waving off his warning.

"It'll be fine, after all, I've got you here to protect me. Come on, I want to dance!" Mavis stated, making Zeref frown as she began twirling around with the Fey, looking free and happy as she did so. While she was normally a bit clumsy, right now, Zeref thought she seemed more graceful than even the Fair Folk. She kept up with their fast-paced music with ease, laughing as the Fey stepped aside to let her join, smiling encouragingly at the newcomer to their realm.

Mavis' gaze turned towards Zeref, frowning when she saw he was not dancing. "Come on, Spriggan, dance with me!" she requested, making him give her a half-smile at his old name. No one called him that these days, and it brought back memories of one of the few happy times in his life. It was enough to make him cave in, stepping closer to her as he grabbed her arm, twirling her around on the floor as he joined the dance with the Fey. Mavis smiled even brighter than before, her green eyes filled with excitement and joy as they danced underground.

Zeref was glad that she was happy, that she had this chance to be free. Even if he did not exactly enjoy dancing with fairies, he did enjoy seeing Mavis happy. That made him smile as he spun her around, his arm moving to wrap around her waist and dance with her pressed closer to him. Everything seemed as if it would go back to the old days, to when they watched over Magnolia as its leaders. Zeref wondered if they could create something similar in this world, a place where just the two of them could live and watch over the few Mavis chose to have as her friends.

This was what he was thinking about when he felt it, a massive shudder in the air. "No…the barrier was strong…." he whispered, staggering slightly as he felt it again, something attacking the barrier between worlds. This massive strength and power, it could only mean that Acnologia had discovered that Magnolia had been abandoned. The demon was coming for Zeref again, and now that he sensed the massive attack on the barrier, Zeref stopped his dance, focusing on fighting back against Acnologia. His power channeled outward in a way unlike ever before, attempting to strengthen rather than weaken the barrier between worlds. Black sparks were visible around his body, dancing through the air and spreading even above ground. People would report some freak electric storm that night, from the sight of black lightning dancing in the sky.

Mavis stopped when she saw what was going on, alarm in her gaze as Zeref focused. "Mavis…the barrier…it's breaking." Zeref gasped out, feeling his strength lessen the longer he kept this up. All he was doing was maintaining the barrier, it was not healing what had already vanished. Mavis seemed to nod, looking focused as she covered his hand with her own.

"Allow me to aid you. I may not be powerful, but I have learned much since the last time we met." she stated, making Zeref's eyes widen as golden light spilled out from her grasp. Between the two of them, light and dark danced together throughout the air, awing even the Fair Folk who had stopped in their dance to observe the two beings in their home. Sensing the barrier, Zeref could feel it working, that together, their power was enough to repel Acnologia and restore it to full strength. Still, it was only a temporary solution. One day, Acnologia would attack when Mavis was not with Zeref, and that day, he would break through and destroy this world as well.

Everyone was silent after the attack on the barrier, staring at Zeref blankly as they backed away. One fairy approached them, this one with scarlet hair and icy blue eyes. "Zeref, the Demon Emperor, it has been quite some time since I last saw you in my Court." she stated, the Queen of the Seelie. Zeref smiled at her, nodding in agreement as he pulled Mavis closer to his side.

"We don't have time for this, we're going to need their help." Mavis stated, glancing over at Zeref who hesitated. Mavis would be speaking about her wizards, the ones with magic who she felt had the chance to stand up against Acnologia.

Staring at her, he knew that even after the battle from before, she still had hope that they could succeed. "You truly believe that is the best plan? They do not view me as their ally at the moment, and it will be quite difficult to convince any of them to aid us." Zeref argued, but Mavis was frowning, focused on calculating their odds of success. He had seen this side come out of her during the worst parts of the war, the tactician that was born as a result of fighting countless battles against demons.

"We have something they want more than anything else." she decided, pointing to the book in Zeref's grip. His hand tightened on it, not wiling to part with the object but also not wanting to explain his reasoning to Mavis. "That has been shown to be connected to their friend, we will offer it to them in return for their aid against our enemy." she insisted, grabbing his arm. Before Zeref could say anything in objection, her own magic began to activate, taking them away from the Seelie Court.

Zeref soon found himself back where he started, in the home of the warlock they had met before. "Mavis…you do not understand. I can't just…" Zeref began, trailing off at the sight before him. The shadowhunters and wizards were all crowded around one person. Magnus Bane was slowly sitting up, rubbing his head as he warily gazed up at all of them. "Well, it seems as if he is stronger than I first believed. Did you sense it as well?" Zeref asked, gazing over at Magnus who frowned at him.

The others turned towards Zeref and Mavis with looks of surprise and anger, many preparing for a fight. "No clue what you're talking about. All I know is that I saw…something disturbing. I keep thinking I've helped us prevent that vision, determined the meaning behind it, but it always comes back….cities of blood, towers made of bone, will it ever fade away?" Magnus questioned, catching Zeref's attention.

Not even concerning himself with the others, Zeref began to use what little remained of his magic, creating an illusion right here in Magnus' living room. Towers appeared around them, scattered as the entire room was flooded with darkness. Blood ran beneath their feet, making Clary shriek and jump closer to Jace. The Fairy Tail mages stared at it in horror, all of them seeming to be preparing for battle. Alec stepped closer to Isabelle protectively, looking afraid of what was happening. "I see….was it something like this?" Zeref asked, watching as Magnus stared around him in shock, turning towards Zeref warily.

"Perhaps, I am not inclined to answer people who break into my home, on multiple occasions." he replied, but Zeref could tell from Magnus' expression that he was right. Mavis' expression was dark as she stared around her, clearly understanding that this was Zeref's realm of expertise.

Turning towards Magnus, Zeref gave him a dark smile. "This was the first living realm to die, the first one overrun by demons that ultimately overpowered everyone within." he commented, walking closer to one of the boney towers, reaching out towards the dark illusion. "Now, even demons themselves fear entering this dimension, afraid of the single resident of this world. He rules over it with complete power, and none can stand and face him without fearing for their lives. You see, if a demon dies within the Void, it will be a true death, unlike in this world. Death here simply means being sent back home, but death in the world you see before you…well, that would not be quite so easy to return from." Zeref explained.

The dark image slowly began to fade away, leaving them all staring at Zeref in the living room with looks of confusion and fear on their faces. "Why are you telling us this? Seems to me like you're just telling us to kill you in the Void, though I don't really feel like going through all that effort. I've been there before, I'm not in the mood to go visit again." Jace commented, while Zeref frowned, shaking his head.

"The barrier protecting this world from the Void will shatter soon. When that happens, the demon that caused all of this will come to this world." Zeref stated, seeing the shadowhunters' eyes widen in surprise. "His name is Acnologia, though I imagine even here he has been forgotten about. Most worlds simply focus on the Nine Princes of Hell, no longer concerned with the demons that have gained more power than even them." Zeref stated darkly, glancing at Mavis who nodded in agreement.

"There is only one time when Acnologia was known to be pushed back, and that was with the help of many. It took wizards, angels, and a demon working together to even halt his attack. Still, it did not stop the beast from returning and stealing away their world." Mavis announced, while Zeref focused on those before them, listening silently. They did not appear to trust them, but there was a fear in their eyes from what Zeref was telling them.

Alec was frowning, not looking like he quite grasped her comment. "Wait, a demon fought back against a demon? That doesn't make any sense, aren't they all on the same side?" Alec demanded, while Zeref shook his head.

"Demons were created to serve one purpose and one purpose alone. They are vicious and desire to end lives, because they were designed to kill one person in particular." Zeref stated, smiling at them as he gazed over at those in front of him. "Perhaps this would make more sense if you a proper introduction. My name is Zeref, and though your world may have forgotten me, one thing still remains true. I am the Demon Emperor, the creator of the nine princes of hell and the person responsible for bringing Acnologia to life."

 **So, I've still been focused on my Fairy Tail story, Karma of Contradictions. For those of you that enjoy lengthy stories, and stories centralized around Zeref, I recommend checking it out. Either way, this story is still getting more reviews than most of my others, so I've gotten an update ready for you! Feel free to continue letting me know what you think as the story progresses!**


	10. Unavoidable Truth

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

The room was understandably silent for a few moments after Zeref's announcement. Wizards and shadowhunters alike stared at the demon with wide eyes, uncertain of how to respond. That silence lasted for about five seconds, before chaos ensued. "Demon emperor? Well, I'd say that's enough of a reason for me to burn you to a crisp!" Natsu had declared, fists ablaze before Erza and Gray held him back.

"Who cares, you idiot? He's still got that book that will kill you instantly, remember?" Gray insisted, glaring at Zeref harshly as the shadowhunters began activating their weapons. Zeref could hear the names of angels being whispered around him, all of them standing ready to fight before him.

Jace stepped closer, his gaze wary and on guard as he held his blade out towards Zeref. "Forget it, this is our world, he's our problem. We can handle a little demon like this one, no problem. After all, he's just a weak demon trying to save his own life with lies." Jace insisted, still with that fire burning in his gaze. Zeref couldn't help but smile slightly in amusement at their reactions; it wasn't entirely unexpected, after all. This attack would be pointless for all of them, when none of them could injure him in any way.

Mavis stood up tall, at least, as tall as she could with her short stature. "Enough, Zeref is speaking the truth. If you wish to save your world, I recommend listening to his words. While his powers are demonic in nature, his heart is pure and capable of salvation, unlike most of his kind." she insisted, while the others scoffed at her words.

"Really? Since when has there ever been a demon with a pure heart?" Isabelle demanded, one hand resting on her hip as she glared at Zeref. "This guy attacked my friends on the street, do you really expect any of us to believe you?" she added, gesturing to Zeref with her blade.

The demon raised an eyebrow at her, staying calm despite her angry words. Magnus seemed to be watching silently for the moment, still rubbing his head as he recovered from his vision in the chair beside Zeref. "I was not the one to attack, the fault for that battle lies with the angel blooded ones by your side. Battles have become meaningless to me, in the end they only lead to pointless suffering and death." Zeref insisted, watching as the people in front of him began to look confused at his comment.

"Isn't that kind of what demons are about?" Lucy asked, looking hesitant to join in this argument. "I mean, the demons back home, they killed anyone they saw. It didn't matter if it was a wizard or not, if they were a child or an adult, all of them were simply murdered in cold blood. You have no idea how much pain we went through at their hands…." she continued, nearing tears as she spoke of the struggles of her guild.

Zeref could not deny that these things were his fault, for he had created the demons in the first place. "It was necessary to imbue all of my creations with a destructive nature, that way they would not lose the will to fight when they came before an enemy that seemed impossible to defeat." Zeref insisted darkly, turning away from them as he focused on Magnus. "Your warlock friend is likely the only one that can understand my motive behind such a thing, the only one who has seen anything close to my true nature in this world." he added, while Magnus finally focused on him, sighing in irritation as he leaned forward in his seat.

"You created demons….to try and end your own life." Magnus predicted, while Zeref nodded, a dark smile on his face. "Based on what I've seen so far, that isn't an easy task for anyone to accomplish. I highly doubt there is a demon alive that could destroy someone like you. Angelic weapons don't even phase you, your body just heals from those wounds. Even magic, which has demonic origins, didn't kill you. If that is the case, you seem to be in for a rough ride." he added, pity leaking into his voice as Magnus began to see just how hopeless Zeref's goal truly was.

Mavis was staring at them with wide eyes, something Zeref had expected. He had never spoken to her of this, of the true depths of his loneliness in the world. His desire for death had lessened in her presence, giving him no need to speak of it around her. "Death…Zeref, you can't! I don't….I don't want you to die!" Mavis cried, grabbing him from behind his back and clinging to the demon tightly. Zeref touched her hand gently, where it rested on his stomach, closing his eyes for a moment as he let himself be at peace just momentarily.

Still, he had a goal in mind, so he could not focus on Mavis' pleas at the moment. "Indeed, however, there is one that is close to rivaling me in power. My second strongest creation to this day, one who has always been seeking my life for as long as I can remember." Zeref stated, turning back towards the shadowhunters. Only Clary, the red-headed girl, seemed to be calm enough to listen to his tale.

She was staring at him thoughtfully, her blade lowered as she stepped just a little bit closer. "Acnologia, right? Look, if you are talking about an impossible battle coming to this world, we can handle it. I've seen plenty of monsters in the past, and we've always found a way to come back alive." she insisted, but Zeref shook his head at her, not quite convinced. Jace was looking at Clary as if she had gone crazy, but he didn't get the chance to speak out in objection to her words.

Zeref touched the book in his hands carefully, aware of one plan that might defeat Acnologia. He did not wish for it, but perhaps the only way to defeat this demon was with one of even greater power. "To this date, Acnologia has destroyed 33,597 different dimensions, all of them falling into the chaos and darkness you call the Void. Demons begin to inhabit those realms as the years go by, realizing that there are no more living creatures there to fight back against themselves. In just a few more weeks, one more will join in that number, the world your new companions once called home." Zeref stated, his voice calm as he told them these grave facts. "You've seen a brief demonstration of their powers, yet you claim to be capable of stopping someone even they could not defeat? I fought side by side with their kind, even with the power of angels aiding me, and all we managed to do was prolong the life of that world by a little less than a century. This world will perish the second he breaks through, especially if you continue to treat me as your enemy." he added.

"Our world…you monster, you took us away from our friends! How could you just leave the others there to perish? We could have stayed and fought, yet you forced us to become cowards and flee!" Erza demanded, only just realizing why they had arrived in this world. Zeref took her words calmly, glaring harshly at her as he stood and faced her.

She was strong, he had to admit, not even flinching as he approached the scarlet haired warrior. "You are part of Fairy Tail, headed by Makarov Dreyar, correct?" Zeref confirmed, watching as she nodded, her hands clenched into fists. "Then you will understand my words when I tell you this. I stood and fought alongside his ancestors, watched as Yuri Dreyar was killed in battle. His friends, Precht and Warrod, did not survive either. Nearly the entire city of Magnolia perished in that first battle; my actions saved your lives. You should be grateful, considering I had no obligation to bring you to this world. It took quite a bit of effort on my part to do so, especially with so many unwilling passengers." Zeref explained.

"Enough, if you guys keep arguing like this, we'll get no where." Magnus stated, interjecting just as Erza's hand moved towards her sheathed sword. Both of them turned towards Magnus, seeing the warlock focused on everyone before him in the room. "The way I see it, you are all behaving like idiots. To be honest, I haven't heard a thing about a demon emperor, but if you want to help shadowhunters kill your own kind, be my guest. I won't complain, and considering the situation you've told them about, they should be grateful and simply move on." he insisted, looking annoyed with all of them.

"Magnus!" Alec complained, looking a bit flustered at his boyfriend's comment. "He's a demon, we're supposed to slay them." he stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "How can we trust anything he's saying? I mean….it could be a trap. What if he just wants to divert our forces so he can take over the Institute, or even worse, Idris itself!" Alec demanded, while Zeref frowned, sighing as he shook his head.

Mavis looked dejected as well, realizing just how difficult this would be. "It is their heavenly mandate to destroy my kind, I told you it would not work, Mavis." Zeref told her, watching as the shadowhunters and wizards slowly began to join Alec's side, all with the exception of Clary who seemed to agree with Magnus.

"We don't have a choice! Even if it is a lie, it is better to be prepared than for us to be caught off guard. Honestly, what kind of trap would this be, when it will only lead to us strengthening our numbers and becoming more alert?" Clary demanded, trying to get the others to side with Magnus.

"Clary, stop this." Jace began, looking irritated with her. "You are still new to our world, even after everything you've seen, you don't know enough. Demons are always evil, there is no exception to that rule, Clary!" he insisted, while Mavis watched them back and forth, looking somewhat thoughtful as she began to smile slightly.

"Zeref, you claim these people work under a heavenly mandate, correct?" she asked, while the demon nodded in response. "Then, it is also safe to assume that they would follow an angel's orders without question." she added, giving him a look of mixed satisfaction and fear. This was a risky plan, using her identity to gain the shadowhunters trust. It was still the only one they had, however, the only way they would ever agree to work with a being like him.

Staring at Mavis, Zeref frowned slightly, still not wanting to take the risk. It was her secret to guard, but he valued her safety above all others. "Are you sure it will not result in disaster? I hold no attachment to this world, Mavis, I would rather see it perish than see you lose your freedom once more." Zeref stated quietly, seeing the argument continue to escalate before them. Magnus had joined back in, arguing on Clary's side, while Alec timidly attempted to reason with his boyfriend.

Mavis nodded slowly, grabbing his hand gently with a slight smile. "I shall be fine, I promise." she stated, walking towards the group and tapping her hand on Jace's shoulder to get their attention. He turned towards her, looking a bit wary as his gaze flickered to Zeref who stood behind her, not willing to leave her side for this declaration.

"What Mavis is about to tell you will not leave this room under any circumstances. Should I discover that any of you have broken this deal, I promise, I will slay you all, regardless of any agreement we may come to." Zeref stated harshly, making Mavis frown and smack his arm. The others looked a bit frightened by his words, one of the strongest threats Zeref had made thus far. It was the first time he seemed like a normal demon to the shadowhunters, but the moment faded when Mavis continued glaring at Zeref, calming him ever so slightly.

"Enough! My plan will not work if you continue to anger them, Zeref." Mavis warned, while Zeref nodded stiffly, still warily watching the others. "Zeref has informed me that you all follow a heavenly mandate, that you serve angels in order to protect this world." she began, watching as Jace rolled his eyes at her, looking a bit bored with her comments.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." he commented, seeming to be calming now that they were stepping back from their argument with Magnus. "Some angel gave a guy his blood long ago, and that made us. That's why we have to follow his goal, the reason he had for gaining that gift. We will destroy demons, regardless of who they are." Jace added, glaring at Zeref.

Mavis nodded calmly, focusing on his gaze as her normal smile faded, becoming a focused and determined gaze. "Very well, I understand. I shall inform Raziel of just how disappointed I am in his soldiers, seeing as how they went against my wishes." she stated boldly, while Zeref sighed, realizing that she was taking much longer to explain this than she needed to.

"Who the heck is this Raziel person? Is he a friend of yours or something?" Natsu asked, nudging Alec slightly to try and get an answer from one of the shadowhunters. The nephilim simply seemed to be staring at Mavis in disbelief, clearly not seeing her claim as possible.

Even Magnus didn't seem to believe her, frowning as he watched them. "That's some claim to make, considering that any angel will burn you with their heavenly fire the moment you summon them. There are easier ways to lodge complaints against the Clave, I would be happy to show a fellow warlock the proper channels to go through." he insisted cheerfully, while Zeref focused his gaze on the cat-eyed man, not pleased with the lack of trust in Mavis.

"I have told you before, neither of us are warlocks, Magnus." Zeref insisted, focusing on those around him. "Recall, I also made the claim that the energy surrounding me cancels out her own, making both of us hidden to those of angelic or demonic origin. If I am a demon, what do you suppose that makes Mavis?" he asked, watching as Magnus froze, gazing at the girl before him with widened eyes.

Mavis nodded in agreement, smiling as she turned back towards Jace, Isabelle, Alec, and Clary. "Indeed, I am the opposite of Zeref, but even I see the light in his heart. As an angel of heaven, I demand that you agree to work by our side and defeat Acnologia once and for all!" she declared, watching as the shadowhunters still stared at her in disbelief.

"I believe you have failed to add something in to your calculations, Mavis." Zeref stated calmly, watching her blink at him in confusion. "People like these will demand proof of your words. Choose one of them and give them your blessing, otherwise they will not believe in what you are." Zeref informed her. Giving a shadowhunter magic would be an interesting ordeal. Last time he was here, they all hated the concept of magic, refusing to acknowledge that their own runes were a form of magic.

Mavis nodded, looking somewhat upset with herself for leaving out that detail. She normally was incredibly skilled with plans like this one, but it had been quite some time since these calculations were necessary from her. It was expected for her to forget a few details, but Zeref knew she would be hard on herself anyway. "Wait, are you saying that Mavis, the fairy that gave our whole nation magic, is actually an angel?" Gray demanded as Mavis stepped forward, towards Clary.

Mavis nodded, gazing over at him calmly. "Indeed I am, I have been hiding from the other angels for quite some time. I failed while I was in Magnolia, and I do not intend on being brought back again." she insisted. Clary seemed uncertain of this, watching as Mavis closed her eyes, her hand reaching towards Clary. Zeref could sense the angel's power, feeling the light magic rise within her as her hand glowed a light golden color, still not touching the girl. That glow slowly began to move, flowing through the air towards Clary and wrapping around her. Jace rushed towards Clary, looking alarmed as Mavis opened her eyes, watching the golden light cover Clary completely, slowly flowing towards a singular point on her chest. All of it was absorbed in their, creating the container within her body to store and utilize ethernano for magic.

Jace was still shaking Clary gently, trying to get her attention before glaring at Mavis. "What did you do to her? By the angel, if you hurt Clary—" Jace began, before Alec stepped closer, touching Jace's shoulder to cut him off. The calmer boy was shaking his head at Jace, silently communicating with his partner as Clary slowly regained her balance, stepped away from Jace's grip.

"It's okay, Jace, I'm fine." Clary stated, frowning slightly as she gazed down at herself. "Though I will admit, something does feel a little strange." she added, her hands held out as she tried to determine the source of this strangeness. Zeref stepped closer to her, giving her a slight smile as he did so.

"Close your eyes and empty your mind." he directed, watching her stare at him warily. "Mavis has gifted you with magic, and in order to access it, you need to meditate. The more focused your mind is, the easier it will be for the ethernano to be absorbed into your body." Zeref continued, something all the wizards here understood. Magnus looked intrigued himself, but he was not convinced of the necessary of this it seemed.

"If the girl has magic, that isn't going to do a thing for her." he insisted, while Zeref frowned over at him. "Trust me, I've got a lot of skill with magic, all it takes is a little bit of focus and the right spell to make it work." he insisted.

Zeref crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. "You are a warlock, not a wizard. Your magic works differently, stemming from demonic power that lies deep within your blood. It is instinctual for you to utilize magic, but for wizards it is different. They have been given a gift through angelic means, a way for their body to absorb energy from the world around them that allows magic to become possible. Without proper training, they will never be able to access that power within them." Zeref insisted.

"Hold on a second, are you seriously trying to tell me that you gave Clary _magic?"_ Jace demanded, glaring over at Zeref with his golden eyes burning. "That's insane. She's a shadowhunter, we don't use magic."

Zeref smiled, amused that some things still had not changed in this realm. Next to Jace, Erza frowned and turned towards him. "Really? Just what powers do you utilize to fight off demons then?" she questioned.

"That's none of your business." Jace stated harshly, turning towards Zeref for an answer.

The demon sighed, looking up as Clary opened her eyes and gazed between her friends and the newcomers to this realm. "This is not helping me prove our point. Yes, Clary has just been gifted with magic, that is what Mavis' blessing does. It creates a container within anyone's body that allows it to absorb and store ethernano from the air, then transform that energy into spells." Zeref explained.

Mavis nodded in agreement, smiling proudly at the shadowhunters. "Yep, and if Clary focuses enough, she can show you just how it works!" she insisted brightly.

"So…we're just supposed to trust you?" Alec asked quietly from Magnus' side. His blue eyes focused on Zeref, a frown on his face. "I'm sorry…but I don't think I can do that. Even if you seem different, you're still a demon. All your kind ever does is destroy and kill, there is nothing good about a single one of you."

Zeref's hand moved towards the base of his throat, holding the locket tightly in his palm. His eyes closed, taking a deep breath as his head tilted forward, his hair covering his eyes from the views of the others here. He was used to this kind of treatment, wherever he went, but in this realm the hatred was worse than anywhere else. It was why he always avoided this place, the realm where no one would bother to listen or reason with him for anything.

Zeref felt a gently hand touch his shoulder, rubbing it slightly. "Zeref, don't listen to him. He doesn't know you, not like I do. okay?" Mavis whispered, leaning close to him. Zeref pressed his hand against her own, holding it against his shoulder as he took slow, steady breaths. He felt the energy within him growing restless, something that had begun happening after Mavis left Magnolia so long ago. His magic reacted strongly to his emotions, strengthened by her blessing, and if he grew too upset or angry, it would lash out at the world around him.

"Get away from me." he stated quietly, feeling it grow even stronger. Zeref pulled his hand away from Mavis, instead gripping his head tightly as he tried to focus.

"Pardon?" Magnus asked, leaning towards Zeref in confusion. "Did you really just try to kick people, including myself, out of my own house?"

Zeref stumbled to his feet, staggering back away from the crowd as he hunched over. "I said get away!" he shouted, more force behind his words than before. It was stronger now, a hint of black appearing by his feet that was slowly swirling around him.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Magnus stated, standing up and moving towards the others. His cat-eyes focused on the hint of magic beginning to grow around Zeref, narrowing as he moved towards the majority of the group standing in his living room.

Mavis was watching Zeref closely, her eyes wide as she backed away with the others. "Zeref…why is this….can't you just stop?" she asked, unsure of what to do.

Zeref turned towards her, his head lifting and leaving everyone staring at him in shock. Tears were slowly trickling down his cheeks, his eyes wide and desperate as he focused on everyone there. "I…I don't want to…just please….leave." he begged, the darkness rising faster now. It was nearly surrounding his entire body, his control slowly slipping as the spell prepared to explode around him.

Magnus saw the quickening pace of the spell, his hand moving quickly and teleporting them all away in a flash of blue sparks. Zeref felt a small smile of relief appear on his face before his control vanished, blackness erupting from his body and ensnaring the entire house in a sea of darkness. It was wild and untamed, blowing around as if it were leaves on the wind. Shadows danced between every room and crevice in the walls, not allowing a single living thing to remain before slowly receding. Nothing seemed to have changed in the room, except for the sight of the demon kneeling on the ground, hunched over with his arms pressed to his stomach.

Zeref leaned against the soft cushions of the sofa, his cheek pressed against the seat as he closed his eyes. They were safe, this time, but he did not know how long that would last. Shadowhunters were great at causing him pain and discomfort, thus it was quiet dangerous for him to remain near them for long. Zeref took a deep breath, but it did nothing to stop the tears streaming down his face as he remembered the young boy's words. Alec had not even realized how true his statement was, and Zeref hated himself for it. Zeref was a demon, and he was incapable of bringing anything other than death and destruction to this world.

 **A bit of a longer chapter, so I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	11. Cursed Blessing

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

The others returned at some point, though Zeref did not notice how much time had passed before that occurred. He still remained in the exact same spot as before, his legs hugged to his chest as his head leaned over against the seat of the couch in the room. He didn't even lift his gaze when he heard the clicking sound of the door opening and closing, nor did he open his eyes to face those that would undoubtedly hate him even more at this point.

"Well, I have to admit, I expected a bit more damage after that." Magnus' voice stated, his gaze flickering around the room. "Most demons in here create more of a mess than this, and that's even the ones that I keep contained in pentagrams." he commented, his gaze glancing over at his companions briefly before altering his comment. "Not that I summon demons or anything, because that would be illegal, of course."

Zeref did not reply or move from his spot, his cheeks still wet from his own tears that had stopped falling at some point. "Zeref…are you okay?" a softer voice asked, this one making Zeref open his eyes slightly. Mavis came back too, and after a few moments, he saw her kneel by his side out of the corner of his gaze. Her hand pressed against his shoulder again, her green eyes wide with concern as she focused on him.

Slowly, Zeref lifted his head and turned towards her. "I…I'm sorry." he stated, rather than answering her question. "This keeps happening…I'm losing control over it, and soon, I don't think I'll even have enough time to warn those around me."

Mavis leaned closer to him, her hair brushing against his cheek as she pressed her head against his shoulder. The others came deeper into the room, someone sitting on the sofa next to Zeref's head while others remained standing. "If you need help with your magic, you should've just said something. We're wizards of Fairy Tail, we can train even demons to use magic properly." Gray commented.

"That isn't the issue." Zeref stated quietly, sighing as he turned to look at the others. "My body does not react well to having an angel's blessing. My power has been increased to the point where even I cannot contain it, not without complete focus. I do not think I was meant to have this much magic power, and as a result, the stronger my emotions get, the less control I have over my abilities."

Jace crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow at him. "You know, that isn't making me any more comfortable about letting a demon help us. I mean, a demon without control just seems like it'd kill more mundanes than a regular demon." he commented.

Clary smacked his arm, glaring at him while Zeref sighed, nodding in agreement with his words. "Sorry about Jace, he isn't all that nice sometimes." Clary stated, the one sitting next to him on the couch. Jace pouted, standing next to the armrest, with Alec and Magnus standing across from the sofa. "It's just…if you have that much power, it seems like it could hurt people if you don't learn how to manage it."

Mavis glared over at them, immediately jumping to Zeref's defense. "Hey, that's not true! Zeref lived with me for years in Magnolia, he never hurt anyone while we were there." she insisted.

Zeref touched her arm, shaking his head at her as he focused on them. "Mavis, stop." he stated quietly, turning towards them. "If you wish to know the truth of my power, I want an agreement first. I will explain every detail about it to you, if you in turn agree to help us at least attempt to stop Acnologia."

His black eyes were steady as he focused on Jace, the one who seemed to be making the majority of the decisions for this group. "Jace, I think we should take his offer." Isabelle commented, eyeing the demon closely as she leaned against the wall. "We will take out one demon and afterwords, if Zeref betrays us, we'll know all of his secrets and can deal with him then."

Alec hesitated, glancing between his friends before looking over at Zeref again. "I…he's still a demon, but I can't help but feel as if I was wrong about him." Alec commented quietly. "He was crying before…he didn't want to hurt us, but he just couldn't help it."

"If he's on our side, I think we'll have a better chance of keeping an eye on that book of his." Lucy commented, grinning over at the wizards. "After all, we can't have him doing something stupid and getting Natsu killed as a result."

Zeref's expression did not change as they spoke, remaining calm as Jace focused on the demon. His golden eyes remained conflicted, frowning before he sighed and shook his head. "The Clave is going to kill us for this, but I can't help but agree with Izzy. The more we know about our enemy, the better." he stated. "You have yourself a deal, demon. We'll hold off slaying you until after we've dealt with Acnologia."

Zeref nodded, his gaze distant as he turned away from them. "Very well, I suppose that will do." he commented. "The majority of my magic lies within two categories, both quite different from each other. I have long abandoned my original magic, what was once known as living magic but is now called necromancy in this realm." he began.

"We already figured that much out. I mean, it was kind of obvious with the whole book thing, and you know, the comment about bringing the pink-haired one back to life." Magnus commented blandly, taking a seat in the chair on the other side of Zeref.

"You were aware that I could bring the dead back to life, but that isn't all that I can do in this branch of magic." Zeref corrected, sitting up straighter to give Clary and Magnus more room on the couch. "I can create life from nothing, though it has been quite some time since I did so. That is where demons came from originally, beings I created out of non-living matter."

Magnus raised an eyebrow, clearly questioning this fact, but it was his boyfriend that spoke out in objection to Zeref's claims. "That…that's impossible! I mean, bringing the dead back is one thing, they had already been alive at some point, but creating life from nothing…that is just too much power for anyone to have."

Zeref focused on him, smiling darkly as he nodded in agreement. "Perhaps, though there are certain limits to it. For every life I create, one is owed to the light. Balance must always be maintained…there is a reason I stopped utilizing living magic, things always ended up far more complicated as a result of its use." he explained.

"Lilith said something like that…that was why she was able to bring Sebastian back from the dead." Isabelle commented, her gaze narrowing over at Zeref. "Does that mean we're going to have another situation like that? You brought Natsu back, so who came back to balance out his life?"

Zeref glanced over at the boy in question, frowning as he thought about this. "Wait…are you saying there's a chance that Lilith could bring Sebastian back _again?"_ Clary demanded before Zeref could speak. "That…how could you let something like that happen? I mean…if you understood that bringing back the dead would allow for a monster to come to life…why would you…" she began, unable to phrase her question properly. Instead, the girl bit her lip, cutting off her final statement as she turned towards the demon for answers.

"That is not the case," Zeref stated, glancing over at her as his smile faded away. "As I stated before, for any life I bring back, one is owed to the _light._ Regardless of how he acts now, Natsu's true nature belongs with the darkness. As for who was brought back in return, I cannot say." he commented, focusing on Isabelle with a frown. "You mentioned Lilith before. Just how did she manage to resurrect the dead?"

Jace grimaced at the comment, reaching over and grabbing Clary's hand as he turned towards Zeref. "Through me. Clary asked an angel to bring me back to life, and as a result of some spell in place, he had no choice but to do it. According to Lilith, that meant that the darkness was owed a life in return."

Zeref's eyes widened slightly, flashing red for a moment before he took a deep breath, calming himself. "Lilith…how dare you interfere in these things…" he muttered under his breath, his hand clenching into a fist on the ground by his side. Mavis leaned closer to him, concern on her eyes as she covered his fist with her palm. "No…it would not have been enough…perhaps she did act correctly in restoring another."

Everyone was staring at Zeref in confusion, lost as to what his musings were about. Before anyone could ask, the demon shook his head and focused once more on the others. "This is not the matter we need to focus on, I suppose I will think on it later. For now, simply be aware that there is a chance of someone being brought to life for the light, to balance out what I did years ago."

"Alright, so you can create life. That doesn't explain what you did to my apartment earlier." Magnus commented, leaning forward in his chair as he looked closer at Zeref. "Magic like that doesn't just explode and leave without a trace. What exactly did you do here?"

Zeref glanced away from them, focusing on a doorway in the house rather than the people within the room. "Death magic, my other main specialty." he stated calmly.

"Death magic? You mean…you can just kill people on sight with your spells?" Gray demanded, sounding horrified at the idea.

Zeref nodded, lifting his hand and letting a small cloud of darkness spread above it. "Yes, it is quite interesting to think about. Unlike creating life, there is no need to balance out the taking of it. For every life I steal away, nothing more is owed. In reality, it makes killing far simpler to do than saving." he mused, the shadows swirling around in his palm before he closed his fist, the magic vanishing in an instant.

"Shut up! Don't talk about death so lightly, you bastard." Natsu stated, anger in his voice as he stepped closer. "People don't get second chances, and unlike you, we aren't immortal. Don't assume others want to die just because you want to, Zeref."

The demon smiled, turning towards him. "I have made no such assumptions, Natsu." he stated quietly. "It is just a simple fact, that is all. As far as my death magic goes, I usually have no need of it either. I do not fear death, nor can others take my life, so there is no need to truly kill anyone I meet." he explained. "At the same time…this is the aspect of my magic that I am slowly losing control over."

"Wait, are you saying that you're killing the world on _accident?_ How the hell is that supposed to make us feel any better?" Isabelle demanded, one of her hands moving to rest on her hip.

Zeref glanced over at her, his smile gone as he sighed. "I can control my magic, so long as I am not overly emotional. The greater my anger…the greater my pain, the more likely I am to unleash a spell like the one you nearly witnessed before." he told them. "Death predation…it steals away the life of anyone caught inside of the darkness, though as you can see, objects remain unharmed."

"You never told me about this." Mavis stated calmly from his side, staring into his chest rather than at his eyes. "I mean…I knew you were a demon…I knew that you had your own powers, but I didn't realize…if I had known that it would make things worse…" she whispered, making Zeref realize she was finding a way to blame herself for all of this.

"In all of history, I have never once seen an angel willing to ally themselves with a demon." Zeref stated quietly, watching her head turn up towards his. There was moisture pooling in her eyes, something that made Zeref frown as he felt an unusual desire to prevent those tears from falling. "You were the first, Mavis Vermillion, the first to see me as a potential friend. Do not think that means nothing, and do not blame yourself for my own mistakes. I was created to balance out the world, the creator of darkness to cancel out the creator of light. Nothing can change what I am meant to be, despite my own wishes."

"Creator of light?" Lucy asked from beside her friends. "Are you saying there is someone else out there with power like yours?"

Zeref ignored her, focusing solely on Mavis. The angel seemed to be debating how to react, her frown remaining on her face as she studied Zeref's expression. "You're wrong." she stated after a few moments, her hand reaching upward and brushing across his cheek. Zeref's eyes widened ever so slightly, unused to the smooth sensation and heat of another person's skin against his own. "You are more than just darkness, Zeref. I can see it in you, even if you can't."

"Dark, light, who really cares?" Jace stated from the side, sounding bored as he came closer. "All that matters is the fact that this idiot found a way to lose control of some kind of ultimate death magic. Seems to me like that's a bigger problem than any demon that could possibly come from the Void."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Magnus commented, gazing over at the others in front of him. "If what I'm seeing really is the doing of this demon, I'd say we're in for a rough ride." Magnus commented, his eyes drifting down towards his lap.

Zeref watched the warlock carefully, seeing Alec step closer to him in concern. "Did you see something else?" Alec questioned, frowning at his boyfriend. "I mean, you didn't say much about it before…"

Magnus sighed, nodding as he leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, well, I had my reasons. To be honest, I can't tell you how long I've been having that vision. Every time I think it's happened and that the danger's passed…it comes back."

"That is strange magic." Erza commented, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you prophetic naturally, or is this a skill one must learn? I can see much benefit in being capable of predicting an enemy's actions in battle."

"Of course not!" Mavis stated, smiling brightly over at her. She had settled in next to Zeref, sitting by his side on the ground with her hand wrapped around his own. "He's a warlock, his power comes from being part demon. It isn't the same…his visions likely come from his connection to the demon realms through his own blood."

Zeref frowned, eyeing Magnus closely. "In most cases, I'd agree with you." he commented quietly, seeing Magnus glare over at them. "However, if you look at the barrier—"

"Would you two shut up already?" Magnus asked, waving a hand at them with blue sparks dancing in his palm. "I'm trying to have a conversation here, and you two are ruining it with your speculations about my magic. My magnificent self has no need for explanation, thank you very much."

Zeref was left staring at Magnus with his mouth agape. He was unsure of how to respond, a feeling he was not used to. Mavis giggled by his side, amused with whatever expression was left on his face as Magnus continued on, leaning back into his seat. "Now, this vision of mine is always the same regardless of when it comes. You've already seen what it looks like, but that doesn't change the fact that I've been seeing this vision for centuries. What is it about this realm that we're meant to be wary of?"

Alec nodded, frowning thoughtfully as he gazed at their companions. "Do you think…is it possible for that to happen here?"

His blue eyes focused on Zeref, while the other shadowhunters slowly turned towards him in turn. "Yes, it is quite possible. I've told you before, there has yet to be a single realm that could remain alive after Acnologia sets his sights on it." he explained.

"Yeah, well Acnologia hasn't dealt with Fairy Tail just yet." Natsu claimed, grinning as he pounded his fist into his palm. "We're taking that demon down, and there isn't anyone that can stop us."

Zeref stared at Natsu, closing his eyes and feeling a small smile spread across his face. This was the boy he remembered, the one who wasn't afraid of anything and was too stubborn to see the truth. Perhaps it would be enough, when combined with his own skill set. Zeref only hoped that Natsu had learned enough to surpass Acnologia with his humanity intact. The demon emperor pulled the book closer to his chest, keeping it close to his body as he held on to the hope of never needing to awaken this darkness within his most powerful creation.

 **A bit of a while since I updated this one, but I've kinda been busy. For those of you unaware, I've created a poll on my profile for you guys to vote on your favorite of my unfinished stories. It'll help me decide which one to focus on, since many of them are incomplete drafts at the moment that I'm looking for ideas on. Either way, feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	12. A Lily of Despair

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or the Mortal Instruments

Clary returned to the Institute, feeling exhausted after spending an entire day discussing what to do about the upcoming threat. To be honest, she didn't quite grasp the severity of the issue. Sure, demons were evil and had to be destroyed, but after meeting Zeref, she questioned just how true that was. Shadowhunters were meant to protect humans from demons, that was what she had been taught. However, when she thought about Zeref's expression after he lost control of his magic, Clary felt nothing but doubt in her heart over what he truly was.

"Man, this is just insane." Jace commented, walking inside of the Institute with Clary, Izzy, and Alec. The wizards had remained behind at Magnus', much to the warlocks annoyance. "A demon…and the one that created them all…I was kind of expecting something more, to be honest."

Alec nodded in agreement, while Clary shrugged. "I don't know, he seemed powerful enough to me." she stated. "I mean, he's kind of like Voldemort, able to kill with just a wave of his hand instead of a wand."

"I don't care who he's like, I still don't like having to work with him." Jace insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. He leaned back against the wall in the halls of the institute, while the rest of them slowly did the same.

Alec glanced over at Jace, frowning with worry. "I agree, but we don't have much of a choice." he insisted. "We did agree to work with him, Jace."

Izzy scoffed at that, rolling her eyes at both of them. "Yeah, like a deal with a demon means anything." she insisted. "I say we deal with him now and focus on this other threat later."

Clary shook her head at them, glancing back towards the exit of the Institute with a frown. "He isn't a threat…I mean, that angel was protecting him, right?" she questioned.

"Come on, Clary, that wasn't an angel." Alec stated, glancing over at her. "You've seen them before, you know what they look like. Even I can tell that Mavis isn't anything other than a warlock….at least, I think that's what she is."

Jace nodded, his golden eyes focusing on Clary. "Mavis isn't our concern, anyway. We're focused on dealing with Zeref, then we need to figure out what Magnus' vision really means." he insisted.

Clary hesitated, wondering just what to do now. They weren't listening to her, despite the strangeness she had felt ever since Mavis' attempt to give Clary….something. She couldn't quite describe how she had changed at that moment. Something warm seemed to build within her when it was cast, making her smile as heat spread throughout her body from her chest. A restless energy remained even now, running under her arms like fire and making her want to move fast. If she were drawing it, she would draw this feeling as a rushing river, flowing quickly through life and filled with energy as it created its own path to follow, regardless of the banks that tried to tame it.

Glancing up at the others, Clary realized it wouldn't make a difference to really tell them about this. "If you aren't going to take me seriously then fine, I'll figure it out on my own." she insisted, glaring at them and storming off.

She felt Jace grab her arm, stopping her for a moment with concern filling his gaze. "Clary, wait a second." he pleaded, his eyes open and honest. "I'm not joking about any of this. Zeref is dangerous, and if we're being honest, we have no clue what Mavis actually is. We can't trust either of them, just like we can't trust the people he brought here with him."

Clary sighed, shaking her head at Jace as she pulled her arm free. "How can we know that, if we don't give them a chance?" she asked, turning away from him. "At least they're doing something, unlike us. Those people have seen hell, Jace, couldn't you see that in their eyes?"

Alec turned away from them, frowning at the wall as Isabelle folded her arms across her chest. Jace kept his gaze locked on Clary, his mouth opened slightly as he hesitated to speak. "I…everyone has a painful past, especially if demons are involved." he said at last, glancing away from her. "That's something that will never change, it's why shadowhunters exist. It changes nothing about how trustworthy they are, Clary! We can't just go around assuming they're on our side, just because they claim they want to help."

Clary stared at Jace, startled by the increase in volume of his voice. They hadn't argued like this in a long time, not since the last massive disaster occurred in this town. Sure, small arguments came up here and there, but shouting was never a part of them. He seemed to realize what he had done, his eyes widening as he reached out towards her, hesitated as his gaze softened. Clary took a step back, shaking her head at him as she turned to leave deeper into the Institute. "That's exactly why we should trust them, Jace. You may not want to give them a chance, but I do."

No one moved to stop her this time, the restless energy within her buzzing as she moved through the halls. Clare wished she knew just how to do something with this power within her, but she had not been given the chance to ask Zeref more about it. The other wizards seemed too preoccupied to answer her questions either, thus she was left alone to try and deal with this new sensation within her.

With nothing better to do, Clary slowly found herself wandering into one of the guest rooms of the Institute. There were so many in this place, and much like the others, this one was plainly organized. It held a simple bed with a desk and night lamp next to it. The walls were bare of decorations, and overall, it looked just as bland as the uninhabited areas of the place. Stepping inside, Clary let herself lean back onto the bed, closing her eyes as her red hair fanned out behind her back.

Glancing around, Clary slowly got up from the bed to explore the room further. The covers of the bed were not all that interesting, and besides a growing pile of dust, she saw nothing of interest sitting on top of the desk either. Pulling open a few drawers, Clary was surprised to find a few loose pencils inside one of them. She picked one up, playing around with the tool in her hands before pulling open the drawer beneath it, one of the three that were attached to the desk in the room.

This one had a small pile of lined paper within, likely used for taking notes by whoever had once been in this place. After all, the Institute was a place for shadowhunters to learn about this world. Maybe they needed to study too, especially when it came to learning all of those strange demon languages. Clary could hardly grasp them herself, and that was after spending hours pouring over the information she had learned from Jace and her other friends.

With a sigh, Clary decided to give in to her earlier impulse to draw something. She might not be able to sleep, but drawing always managed to clear her mind in a way sleep never had. Her hand gripped the pencil lightly, slowly dragging it across the paper with a smile on her face. The river seemed like a project that would require too much time, so Clary settled for something far more simplistic instead. Petals slowly formed underneath her writing utensil, a flower blooming on the page as Clary shaded in the ground to add in a shadow effect from the lily she was sketching.

She frowned, gazing at it for a moment before erasing one of the leaves on the stem. The shape had been off, just a little bit too large to match the proportions of the blossom resting on top of the stem. She redrew the leaf, smaller this time and dangling off at an angle from the flower. The more she drew, the calmer she felt. On paper, the lily was just a gray outline, dull and lifeless, but in her mind, Clary could see a vivid yellow ray of sunshine coming to life. Vivid green splashed across the stem, the entire lily a single bright spot in a world of darkness at night. She erased the shadow on her page, deciding that this lily really was growing under the moonlit sky, rather than in broad daylight.

Yawning, Clary let her pencil fall to the side of the desk for a moment. She picked up the paper, smiling at her simple creation. She felt so at ease now, her irritation just a distant memory. Maybe she should go apologize to Jace, after all she had overreacted. He had just been trying to protect her, like he always did. The thought made her smile widen further, her palm brushing against the paper with a longing to bring that lily to life even further. If only she had paints with her, or even colored pencils, she could do so much more.

As if in response to her thoughts, Clary felt the restless energy within her come to life. She blinked in surprise, feeling it flow faster within her body. Instinctively, Clary held the paper out in front of her from a distance. From her palms, the energy seemed to flow outward, leaving her body and taking on a life of its own. Her mind focused, a single image of the lily she had drawn coming to life. Rising to her feet, Clary felt the energy strengthen, the river becoming a waterfall as it gushed through her forcefully, making her eyes close as she took a startled step back.

The entire process had been completely silent, but Clary felt as if she had just run a marathon. That restless energy vanished in an instant, just a dull hum in the background as Clary's arms fell to her side. Her eyes widened in surprise, seeing a simple lily in front of her, falling towards the ground. Without thinking, Clary reached out and caught it, feeling the texture of the flower's stem in her palm. The petals were just as yellow as she imagined, like sunshine in the dim dark room she was in.

"Magic…" Clary whispered, taking a step back and sitting down at the foot of the bed. She hadn't quite realized what she had been doing, nor did she know how it occurred, but there was no doubt in her mind about what she had just done. "I'm like them…I'm a wizard…" she breathed, her eyes wide as she stared at the lily. The paper it had been drawn on was long forgotten, though if she had looked, she would have seen that the picture still remained on the surface. It was an identical copy to the colorful blossom in her hand, but as Clary focused even further, her shocked pride began to change. Her smile slowly faded and she let her hand drop to her lap, a tear forming on her cheek.

"I can use magic…" she whispered again, her tone dejected as she released the lily and let it drop to the floor. She remembered Jace's words, the way he spoke with disgust and horror at the very idea of a shadowhunter using such a skill. She knew Jace loved her, but Clary couldn't help but feel as if this would be too much. She was already a freak with Ithuriel's blood in her, this just made it even worse. Staring at the lily on the ground, Clary quickly kicked it underneath the bed, hiding it from sight. No one could learn of this power, because if they did, she knew that nothing would ever be the same for her again.

 **Sorry for the long wait! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	13. Family Lunch

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

The next day, Clary found herself spending more time with her family than the shadowhunters. She had been training so much lately that she hadn't gotten to talk much to her mom or Luke. With everything going on right now, Clary needed at least something that felt normal to her, and this was as close as she could get.

The three of them were sitting down at a local restaurant for lunch. Her mother had refused to go to Taki's, insisting that they would not be doing anything shadowhunter related today. Instead, it was a normal restaurant, with no downworlders or shadowhunters beyond the three of them inside. The booth they were seated at was in the corner of the restaurant, while the other tables were fairly empty. The more she thought about it, the more Clary realized that they were a bit late for lunch right now.

"So, how've things been going for you lately?" Jocelyn asked, setting down her menu and smiling at Clary.

Clary shrugged, focused on picking something to eat. Nothing really sounded good right now, but she had to eat something. "Fine, I guess. We've been training a lot lately, I've still got a lot to learn," she replied.

Clary's mom nodded in agreement, letting her arms rest on the table. "Well, you only just started training. You can't expect to become an expert in a day, Clary," she stated.

Luke stared between the two of them, shaking his head with a rueful smile. "Here I thought we would be talking about something other than shadowhunting. Isn't there anything else that you've been doing lately? I know you were getting involved in art before, are you still keeping up with that?" he stated, turning towards Clary.

Clary frowned, setting down her menu and glancing at her lap. The image of that yellow lily flashed in her mind, and she slowly shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Yeah…I haven't really had much time for that lately," she stated, seeing the waitress come over for their order. Clary got a cheeseburger with fries, not really seeing much more interesting to get. Her mother did the same, while Luke just stuck with coffee for now.

Another person came and entered the restaurant, the door opening and shutting as Clary glanced over at her parents. "You know…have you guys seen Simon around lately? I've been wondering how he's doing…but you know I can't just go around talking to him," she asked, frowning slightly.

She felt her mother grab her hand from across the table, squeezing it slightly while Luke stared at her with worry in his eyes. "I know, things will get better though. I'm sure he's just fine…and if he still had his memories, I know he would miss you too," Jocelyn stated.

Clary nodded, gazing down at the table as she thought about her former best friend. She missed just having movie nights with him, hanging out and laughing at star wars or overly cliche movies. Game nights were fun too, just being a regular teenager and hanging out together. The two of them were practically inseparable growing up, but now he couldn't even remember her. Maybe Magnus was having some success getting back a few of Simon's memories, but her best friend still hardly recognized her.

Clary was silent for so long that she didn't even notice the man that had paused by their table, staring at them with somewhat widened eyes. "Clary? I was not aware that you would be here as well," Zeref stated quietly, making her blink in shock to see him here. Next to him was Mavis, the two of them calmly wandering around town together like nothing was wrong.

Clary froze, her eyes wide as she glanced around the restaurant. To be honest, the two of them had actually done a decent job of blending in. Mavis' white tank top remained, but she had changed her skirt out for a pair of shorts in the warm weather. Zeref had a black t-shirt on with jeans. If she didn't know any better, Clary would never have guessed that a demon and an angel just walked into the restaurant.

Luke and Jocelyn stared at the two people near their table for a moment, waiting for Clary to reply before deciding to speak themselves. "Hello, are you two friends of Clary's? Jocelyn asked, holding her hand out towards Zeref. The demon looked startled, grabbing it instinctively and shaking her hand. "I'm Jocelyn, Clary's mother. I didn't realize she had some new friends in town."

"Mom, they aren't…I mean, I only just met them," Clary stated, trying to stop this. It was rude to sound so objectionable to being friends with them, but she wasn't all that comfortable with that label just yet.

Zeref eyed Jocelyn closely, before smiling and turning towards Clary once more. "I see…if I am making you uncomfortable, we can go elsewhere," Zeref stated. Mavis stayed close to his side, holding his arm tightly as she pressed up against him.

"That's nonsense! Any friends of Clary are welcome here. In fact, why don't you join us?" Luke offered, while Clary groaned. She wanted to smack her head, or Luke, to stop this from happening. "I'd love to get to know just what kind of people Clary is spending her time with these days. We haven't seen her much around home lately."

Zeref hesitated, glancing between them before sighing. Jocelyn moved deeper into the booth so he could have room to sit next to her, with Mavis practically on Zeref's lap to squeeze into the small spot next to him. "Thank you, I truly am sorry for intruding upon your meal," Zeref stated calmly, glancing over at Clary with narrowed eyes.

"It's…it's fine, I guess," Clary said after a few moments, unsure of what to say. "Uh, Mom, this is Zeref and Mavis. I met them…the other day, when I was getting lunch at Taki's with Jace and the others" she stated, trying to think of a reasonable way to introduce them.

Mavis smiled brightly at them, leaning forward to shake Luke's hand. "Hello! It's so nice to meet you all. Man, I've been getting so bored at Magnus', he doesn't let us do anything fun," she complained, while Zeref raised an eyebrow at her.

"Perhaps, though I suppose observing him alone is enough entertainment," he countered, watching as Mavis frowned, glancing towards the ceiling for a moment before smiling and nodding in agreement.

"Magnus? Why are you spending time with him?" Luke asked, frowning as he studied them closely. Clary knew what he was looking for, the things he wouldn't find. Any sign of faded Marks, even something strange like taloned hands or discoloration, anything that would reveal them both to be part of the shadow world.

Zeref focused on Luke, nodding in response. "We…have been away for quite some time. Things are not the same as they used to be, and Magnus has been helping us understand what has changed thus far," he stated, carefully trying to avoid saying too much.

"Yeah, New York can change almost overnight." Jocelyn commented, smiling over at them. "Everyone here is going for the next big thing, and that means new places open up all the time."

"Really? I can't wait to see it happen while I'm actually here then!" Mavis stated cheerfully, leaving Luke and Jocelyn both staring at her with wide eyes.

Clary groaned, this time giving in to her impulse to smack her forehead over their actions. "She was exaggerating, Mavis. It takes more than a day to make buildings, and it takes time for technology to advance," Clary stated.

Mavis' smile fell, turning into a pout as she glanced over at Zeref. "Zeref, they're being mean! She lied to me about the buildings." she complained.

Zeref sighed, shaking his head as he closed his eyes. Clary began to wonder if this was a bad idea, seeing stress on his face as he took a deep breath. "Zeref…do you need…." Clary began, hesitating on how to end the question.

The demon shook his head again, slowly opening his black eyes to focus on them. "No, I will be fine," he said after a few moments. "Everything is just too strange…it seems as if I am incapable of blending in anymore."

Luke and Jocelyn were both frowning, trying to figure out just who these people were. "I'm sorry…this is going to sound odd, but are you two warlocks? There is something strange about you…" Jocelyn stated, unsure of what else to go on.

Zeref glanced over at her, frowning as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in the seat. "No…it would be best if you did not know what we were." Zeref stated calmly. "My previous claim remains true, I did not tell you a lie. I have not been here in quite some time, and now, I am unsure of how to act properly in public."

Clary glared at him, scowling as their food arrived. When the waitress left again, Clary ignored her food to focus on the demon in front of her. "If you don't know how to blend in, why'd you even leave Magnus' house in the first place? Isn't he supposed to be keeping an eye on you two?" she demanded.

Zeref smiled at her, looking mildly amused. "Did you truly think a simple warlock could keep me contained?" he questioned. Clary hesitated, her skin growing slightly paler as she shrunk back into her seat. "As for why we left…Mavis wished to do so."

Glancing over at the angel, Clary wondered how she could have convinced Zeref to break out of Magnus'. Then again, the more she watched the two of them interact, the more she got the sense that there was more to their relationship than she first thought. The demon actually seemed to care about her, something she never expected to see. "Oh…are you two dating or something?" Clary asked, before realizing just how stupid that question sounded.

"Dating? I'm unfamiliar with that term." Zeref stated calmly, frowning in confusion. Mavis didn't seem to understand either, frowning as she stared at Clary.

The red-head just shook her head, grabbing a fry and taking a bite to hide her embarrassment. "Never mind, it isn't important." Clary stated quietly.

"Are you sure? Come on, how are we ever going to blend in if you don't explain these things to us!" Mavis insisted, her eyes wide and pleading. That girl had a better puppy-dog face than anyone Clary had ever met, and this time, she found herself slowly caving in.

Jocelyn and Luke were watching in silence, unsure of what to make of their relationship with Clary. "Dating…it's when two people who…ugh, do I really have to explain this?" Clary asked, watching Mavis nod, her eyes bright and eager.

Sighing, Clary continued, her cheeks red as she focused on her food rather than the two in front of her. "Well, when two people really like each other…they start dating. They go out to movies, eat dinner, that kind of thing….and after a while, if they still like each other, they get married." she commented, unsure of how to explain it in a way that made sense to a demon and an angel.

While dating was unfamiliar to the two of them, Zeref froze when marriage was mentioned. Mavis stilled as well, her eagerness gone and her smile vanishing in an instant. "Oh…I guess…I mean, we're not…" Mavis stated, her voice quiet and sad.

Zeref grabbed her hand, gently rubbing his thumb over her fingers on the table. "Mavis is already married, so I do not believe we are 'dating' as you say." the demon stated quietly.

An awkward silence settled over the table, no on sure of what to say after that. Mavis was depressed, and Zeref seemed to be just as brooding as usual, but there wasn't any good way to move on. Instead, Clary began to eat her burger, watching her mother and Luke just stare at the two in confusion.

After a few moments, Luke set his coffee down and focused on Zeref and Mavis. "Are you sure?" he asked, seeing Zeref blink at him in surprise. "I hate to break it to you, but she doesn't act like a married woman to me. I mean, she's just a child," Luke stated, pointing over at Mavis.

Staring at her, Clary realized why Luke thought so. With her height and build, Mavis looked like she was a young teenager, at the oldest. "She is far older than she looks," Zeref corrected, not bothering to respond to his other question.

"Marriage does not mean love. If you find someone you truly care for, even if its hard, I recommend going after it. Divorces are always ugly, but if it is what is best for you—" Jocelyn began, but Zeref glared at her, slamming his fist on the table in front of her as his eyes flashed red briefly. Mavis' frown had depend throughout Jocelyn's comment, tears now glistening on her cheeks as Zeref rose to his feet.

"Enough!" he shouted, making Clary jump to her feet. Her hand went to her waist, where she had now grown used to carrying a hidden seraph blade around at all times. The demon saw her reaction, taking a deep breath as he sat back down, next to Clary's mother. "You do not understand of what you speak. Mavis cannot simply leave…no matter how much she desires to do so."

"Zeref…can we go now?" Mavis asked quietly, sniffling slightly as she touched his arm. Zeref nodded towards her, moving to leave before both of them froze. His eyes were wide, gazing up into the air.

"No…not again…" he whispered, taking a deep breath and raising his hand upward above his head. Clary watched with wide eyes and black shadows seemed to erupt from his palm, spreading outward and actually phasing through the roof of the restaurant. Diners saw the action and began to stare in shock, some screaming and running to leave while others applauded what they saw as an amazing magic trick. "Mavis…he's not stopping…" Zeref said after a few moments.

Clary watched as the angel nodded, grabbing Zeref's hand that rested by his side. Mavis' other arm rose to the air, golden light erupting from her own palm and miming the same motion as Zeref's spell. Outside, gold and black light mixed together into one, dancing across the sky and pulsating every few seconds. A few lines seemed to stagger back, fading into nothing with each pulse, but more came to take their place.

"What are they doing?" Jocelyn demanded, no longer worried about their love life. "This…this'll reveal the shadow world to the mundanes…they need to be stopped." she insisted.

Luke nodded in agreement, stepping closer to them before Clary moved to block their path. "No, you can't…" Clary whispered, just as Mavis and Zeref both stopped. The light, both black and gold, vanished from sight as the two of them fell to their knees, collapsing on the ground and breathing hard.

"He's getting stronger…we won't be able to hold him off for much longer." Zeref stated, glancing over at Clary. "Have you come up with a plan yet, shadowhunter?"

Clary could feel her parents' eyes burning into her back, making her take a deep breath. Remembering the lily from before, she wondered if there was something else she could do that would help more. "I…no…" she mumbled, closing her eyes before focusing on both of them. Mavis and Zeref were exhausted, and from what Clary could see, neither of them could even rise to their feet at the moment. "The others don't trust you…I tried to get them to focus, but all they would talk about was finding a way to…to stop you."

Zeref sighed, shaking his head. "I see. It appears as if you feel differently, however. Why is that?" he questioned, eyeing her carefully.

"Clary, what is going on?" Luke demanded before she could reply, coming from behind her. Jocelyn was on his side, both of them wondering what was happening.

Looking at her parents, Clary realized that it had been stupid of her to think she could hide this for long. "I…it's not my place to tell," she stated after a few moments, glancing back at Mavis and Zeref. "They came here to escape a powerful demon…and now that demon is coming here. I can't say anything else."

Jocelyn narrowed her gaze at Clary, crossing her arms over her chest while Luke's eyes widened in response. Instead of letting them say anything further, Clary turned back towards Mavis and Zeref. "As for trusting you…I don't really know either." she stated after a few moments. "All I know is that you seemed…genuine. Earlier, when you lost control, you terrified everyone. I don't think any of them saw your face…not like I did. You didn't want to hurt anyone…I could see that much."

Zeref chuckled darkly, shaking his head as he gave her a self-pitying smile. "It seems so strange. The most terrifying aspect of my power is what brought you to trust in me…perhaps it isn't so bad, losing control of this ability," he mused.

Zeref's gaze flickered over to Clary's parents, rising to his feet shakily. Mavis remained on the ground, before Zeref held his hand out to help her up. The angel leaned on him heavily, her eyes closed as she wrapped one arm around his waist. Zeref's smile faded, his expression becoming blank before he spoke to Jocelyn and Luke. "As for the two of you, if you wish to know so badly, I shall tell you. Choose wisely, for once you know the truth, you will not be able to forget it."

 **It's been a little while, but I've got another chapter ready! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	14. Acclimation

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or the Mortal Instruments

Clary knew her parents would want to know the truth. It wasn't surprising when they agreed to learn, but Zeref simply nodded and began to leave the restaurant when they did so. "Clary, do you have any weapons on you at the moment?" he asked, turning back towards her.

The red-head nodded, pulling out the seraph blade she had nearly used earlier against him. "Good. This attack was stronger than the last one. I'm almost certain that something broke through, even if it was not Acnologia." Zeref insisted.

"Weren't you going to explain things to us first?" Jocelyn demanded, frowning as they walked through the streets. It was broad daylight, which made Clary wonder how a demon could manage to be here right now. She thought that they died when they came into contact with direct sunlight, but Zeref was having no issue with it. The only sign of his discomfort was a slight grimace on his face, his eyes squinted in the brightness of the light facing him.

Zeref nodded, moving quickly through the streets. "Yes, I intend on explaining on the way. The weaker the barrier grows, the more powerful the demons become." Zeref stated, glancing over at Clary. "Much like in Magnolia, weaknesses they once had will begin to have less of an effect on them as they grow used to the climate of a new world."

Clary's eyes were wide as she stared at him, realizing what this meant. "Then…even in broad daylight…." she began, watching Zeref nod.

"It is…uncomfortable, but not unbearable at the moment." Zeref stated. "Then again, I am quite different from your usual demon. The others are likely not managing as well as I am."

"Demon?" Jocelyn asked, catching on that hint. "That's…you're outside, in the sunlight. You can't possibly be—" she argued, but Zeref gave her a harsh glare in response.

"This is not the time to debate, Jocelyn. Whether you believe me or not is your decision, however my response will not change. I am a demon, the very first to ever come into existence," he insisted, glancing over at Mavis with a sigh. "As such, I will not be of much use to you in the upcoming battle. I did not expect Acnologia to attack during the day, I am not at my strongest at the moment and I used all of my energy fending him off back at the restaurant."

Mavis nodded in agreement, looking grave as she turned towards Clary. "It is up to you to stop whatever came through as a result of this attack. Shadowhunters won't be coming; they will react as your mother does to the idea of demons in the sun," she insisted, glancing at the distance as they pushed passed a group walking down the street. "That's how the wizards reacted in Magnolia…when this first started in my own home."

Clary nodded, tightening her grip on the seraph blade as she activated it. She was going to be ready to fight at any moment, though part of her wished Jace or Izzy was here. "Clary…you can't possibly believe that this boy is a demon. You know what they are like…even _eidolon_ demons don't act like him," Jocelyn insisted.

" _Eidolon_ demons were created to take on a form even more powerful than myself, however, they lack the ability to alter their own original strength," Zeref stated calmly, turning down towards an alley between two buildings. "They are deceptive in form only; their personalities do not alter with their appearances."

"Yes…well, that wasn't exactly…" Jocelyn hesitated, eyeing the dark haired boy carefully.

Zeref stopped, gazing around the alley carefully. It was darker in this area, the sunlight partially blocked by the surrounding buildings, but that did not change that it was still somewhat light. "I am aware my personality is quite different from the rest. That lies in the fact that I am the one who created demons in the first place. It is only expected for me to be different from them," he explained.

Luke was staring at Zeref in disbelief, with Jocelyn at his side. "I do not have time to explain much more. They are here," Zeref stated, glancing over at Clary. He held Mavis close to him, his gaze wary of the alley around him. Clary stood ready, her grip on the seraph blade tight and ready to slash through any demon that might approach.

"If you're a demon, what is she?" Luke asked, pointing to the girl by his side. "Sorry, but I find it hard to believe that _demons_ actually get married."

Zeref frowned, glancing at the edge of an alley where a demon was approaching from. Clary did not hesitate, jumping into action and slashing through it with her seraph blade. Ichor burst forth from the creature, splashing on her blade and getting on her jeans slightly as she backed away, looking for another target. "An angel," Zeref stated calmly, tilting his head to the side with focus held in his gaze.

Another demon came over, moving slow and growling in the light. Something didn't look right about it, the creature's skin almost looking melted as it crawled across the ground. Clary didn't bother inspecting it closer, she simply moved closer and stabbed through it with her blade. "There is one more, I think," Zeref stated, his eyes closed as Jocelyn and Luke remained silent. Their eyes were locked on Mavis, the small girl who seemed like a normal mundane until just a few moments ago.

This demon didn't seem as weak as the others, Clary noted. It was rare, a _dragonidae_ moving through the alley towards them. It had red skin, its wings limply hanging on its sides as it approached. Clary lifted her blade, standing ready to fight. "Stop," Zeref stated, his eyes wide.

Clary ignored his words, moving forward towards the demon. She was startled by the sensation of someone grabbing her from behind, yanking her back and throwing her onto the ground. Zeref stood over her, gazing down at her harshly. "I told you to stop, shadowhunter. This demon is not to be killed, not unless you wish to find yourself an enemy of the wizards that came to this world," Zeref informed her.

"What the hell does that mean?" Clary demanded, glaring back at Zeref as she got up. The demon seemed to have paused at the sight of Zeref, no longer approaching to attack. "Are you seriously telling me that those guys are friends with demons? I thought they said demons were destroying their home too!"

"They are, however, Natsu never realized what Igneel was," Zeref stated calmly, smiling over at the demon. "In fact, Natsu truly believes that this demon is his father."

Clary had no words in response, staring at Zeref in shock as Igneel came closer. "Demon Emperor, it has been some time," Igneel stated, his voice deep and gravelly. It rumbled in his throat, and left Clary feeling as if he truly was strong when he wasn't weakened by the sun.

Zeref smiled at Igneel nodding in agreement as he stepped closer to the demon. "Indeed it has. What brings you to this realm? I was under the impression that you were beginning to prefer the Void to living realms," he asked.

Igneel glanced over at the Clary and the others near Zeref, letting out a breath of air from his nose. "Acnologia. I know he's after you, but that is not my concern. You can take care of yourself," Igneel stated, his eyes narrowing as he warily approached Zeref. "You brought my son here, that boy you had me raise. I am not going to idly stand by and let him die."

Zeref raised an eyebrow at Igneel, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is that so? I was under the impression you merely raised him to respond to my own request. Did you truly begin to care for Natsu?" he asked.

Igneel looked away, staring at the white building towards his left. "There is something special about that boy. I can't say what it is…but he doesn't fear us like most mortals. I don't know how to describe it…but I felt as if he was the only mortal willing to view us as friends," Igneel insisted.

Clary's mother stepped forward, kneeling on the ground by her daughter. "Clary, do you know what is going on?" Jocelyn whispered, her eyes locked on both demons.

Clary shook her head, unsure of what to do about them at the moment. Zeref glanced over at the two of them briefly, before focusing on Igneel once more. "Yes, I agree that Natsu is special. In fact, he is far more precious to me than anyone realizes. Do you truly think you can stop Acnologia? You may be strong, but you are no match for him."

Igneel focused on Zeref, a grin slowly appearing on the dragon's face. "I may not be capable of it, but my son is. I still have more to teach that boy. Bring me to him, and I shall show him all of our weaknesses, teach him spells that will break through even the strongest _dragonidae's_ scales," he insisted.

Zeref glanced over at the others, frowning as he crossed his arms over his chest. Clary wasn't sure she understood everything going on, but she did know enough. Were all demons simply misjudged by the shadowhunters of this world? Igneel wanted to protect Natsu, the boy from before. Zeref just wanted to find peace, and keep Mavis safe. Overall, the demons she actually spoke with seemed…almost human. Clary didn't know what to make of it, but she could see that a new alliance was being formed.

"Perhaps it would be best…under your instruction, Natsu could become the perfect weapon to use against Acnologia." Zeref commented quietly. "We need to find a way to keep you in the shade. As far as I can tell you are barely surviving as it is," he added, his eyes flickering around the alley.

"Wait, are you serious?" Clary asked, stepping closer to Zeref with wide eyes. "I mean…I don't think the others would really…Igneel is another demon, my friends won't trust…" she tried, unsure of how to explain it to Zeref.

The demon emperor nodded, not looking too concerned as he gazed over at her. "You are correct, however this is a far better plan than nothing. As it stands, the only method I have to protect this realm would be to unleash END, and that is something I have no intention of doing," Zeref explained.

"END?" Mavis asked, frowning over at Zeref. "I've never heard of it…"

Zeref sighed, turning back towards them, though he remained between the shadowhunters and Igneel. "My most recent creation…a demon even more powerful than Acnologia," Zeref stated. "However, END is…different than the others. Ultimately, I have no intention of utilizing his power against anyone other than myself."

Mavis smacked Zeref's arm, glaring at him as she placed her other hand on her hip. "Stop that!" she insisted, pouting somewhat at the boy. Zeref blinked at her, looking startled and confused as Mavis stepped closer to him.

"Pardon?" he asked, leaning back slightly as she nearly had him pinned against the building on one side of the alley.

Mavis stood her ground, despite the fact that the top of her head only barely reached Zeref's chin. "Stop pretending that your life is meaningless! I'm not going to just stand here and let you throw it away, Zeref. If you move to do anything that seems like taking away your own life, I promise you, I will stop you," she stated, her eyes far darker than Clary had ever seen before.

Slowly, Zeref began to nod, his palms pressed flat against the wall behind him. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice just barely audible to Clary. "I do not wish to cause you pain, Mavis. You have gone through enough of that in the past, and with the light in you, you deserve far more happiness than I can ever give you."

"See, this is what I was talking about earlier," Luke commented, finally speaking forward to speak. "You and her, you don't act like you're just friends. I don't quite understand what makes you think you're a demon," he commented, pointing over at Zeref before dropping his hand. "but even if that's true, I still agree with Jocelyn. Even I can tell that you love her, and that alone tells me you aren't what you think you are."

Mavis turned towards Luke, her gaze steady as Zeref let his head fall to his chest. His black hair covered his expression, but Clary wondered if he was crying again at Luke's words. "There is much you do not understand. I am not even supposed to be in a mortal realm. Unlike my brethren, I am not allowed to leave the heavens for any world. The only reason I am here now is sheer luck and timing, sneaking away when Raziel's back was turned," she insisted. "Do not mistake this for something more than it is; Raziel is still my husband, and in the end, he will find me and take me back regardless of my own desires."

Clary choked on her own spit, staring at Mavis with wide eyes. She had not been surprised that Mavis had a husband of some kind. The girl was sweet and innocent, clearly lovable by anyone's standards. This, however, was more than she had planned on discovering. Her mother was doing the same, stepping closer to the girl with her hands resting by her sides. "Raziel…you are married to the angel that gave his blood to Jonathan Shadowhunter?" Jocelyn asked, hesitating ever so slightly.

Mavis nodded gravely, turning back to see Zeref's gaze focused on Igneel rather than herself. "Indeed, however I was unaware of his interference in this world's progress. It appears as if Raziel has made his own warriors, and now, I believe it is time to have them unite with my own," she stated.

Clary nodded, thinking back to the strange group of people who had suddenly appeared in the Institute just yesterday. They were all strange, but Clary could see just how protective they were of each other. Their hearts were in the right place, and Clary would not just sit back and abandon people who needed their help. "That's right. I don't care if the others disagree; you two aren't evil," Clary stated. "Being a downworlder was once thought to be tainted, at least in their minds. I've never once seen Luke as anything other than human, so maybe demons and angels are the same. If we just tried, maybe we could find a way to work peacefully with each other, rather than constantly being at war."

Mavis smiled at Clary, stepping forward and hugging the shadowhunter. "That's the spirit! So long as you keep smiling and looking towards the future, things will always seem that much brighter," Mavis insisted, her cheerful mood back. It seemed as if a switch had flipped in her, the seriousness gone from her expression as Zeref observed them silently.

"Clary, do not mistake my personality for those of others. Few of my creations hold the ability for independent thought, due to my wish for them to be mindless beasts that even I could not predict the attacks of," Zeref stated. "Some, like the _dragonidae_ , were given higher reasoning abilities. Most were not, and are nothing more than mindless animals that wish to feed on the energy of living worlds such as this one."

Luke patted Clary's shoulder, gazing at Zeref warily. "I see. So, this means that some demons could work with us, while others would need to be killed on sight?" he clarified.

Zeref nodded, glancing over at Igneel. "Yes, that is exactly what I mean. Perhaps the fighting could be lessened, but war is always inevitable. Pain is always present in life, and as such, people find others to blame for its presence. This blame leads to hatred and violence, an endless cycle that just brings about even more sorrow and loss," he mused.

Clary frowned at the dark tone of his voice, hesitantly taking a step closer to the demon. As she did so, something jumped out from the shadows of the nearby street, lunging for Clary and shoving her back towards the ground. Another demon was here, a _scorpios_ , and it slammed Clary into the street. Its tail whipped around, slashing towards her chest. The shadowhunter quickly reacted, rolling away from its attack but not soon enough. A pained hiss broke through her teeth as its stinger slashed into her shoulder, cutting her skin and dripping blood on the ground.

Clary's seraph blade was out of reach, still lying on the ground from when Zeref stopped her attack against Igneel. Jocelyn jumped in, a fierce glare on her face as she grabbed and pulled the demon away from her daughter. Now freed, Clary jumped to her feet, but none of them were armed to face off against this creature.

Luke grimaced, seeming to be on the verge of shifting into his wolf form to battle when Clary acted on instinct. The _scorpio_ had lost interest in Jocelyn, shoving her aside with its tail and targeting Clary once more. With nothing else to use, Clary's hand went to her _stele,_ pulling it out from her pocket. She dodged to the left when the demon's tail lashed out again, this time managing to avoid its stinger as pain throbbed throughout her arm.

Holding the _stele_ in the hand of her uninjured arm, Clary raised it up into the air. The demon lunged forward at the same time, while lines began to appear on nothing. Unlike usual, the image in Clary's mind was not that of a rune, but that of a blade. If she could draw it, she could do exactly what she had done with the lily in the Institute. The restless energy burned through her veins as she took a deep breath, her green eyes flashing as the quickly-sketched blade took form in the air.

Clary reached out with her other arm, catching the blade as it took form in the air. The magic surging through her body faded, leaving her standing with a seraph blade stretched out towards the demon. The _scorpio_ was unable to react in time to the sudden appearance of the blade. It charged directly into the weapon, the seraph blade digging into its face as it gave out a final shriek of pain, vanishing as it was slain.

Clary was breathing heavily, the sword falling to her side as her arm went numb. A burning sensation was growing deeper in her left shoulder, spreading as she knelt on the ground. Her vision blurred, and she distantly heard the clatter of the blade against the ground. Someone shouted, a male voice, before Clary's eyes fluttered shut. The last thing she saw was the worried gaze of her mother, with a black haired demon standing just over Jocelyn's shoulder.

 **And cliffhanger! Are you guys excited for the next chapter now? Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	15. Light's Contradiction

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of The Mortal Instruments or Fairy Tail

"Clary!" Jocelyn shouted, shaking her daughter's body while Zeref watched quietly. The red-headed teenager had collapsed, likely from the poison contained within the _scorpio's_ stinger. It was a fast-working venom, painful until it destroyed the nerves and left the body numb.

Zeref stepped closer to them, hearing Luke join in the cries attempting to wake the young shadowhunter. "It seems as if your blessing saved her life, Mavis," he commented quietly, seeing both parents's heads snap towards him. "Dealing with poison is a simple matter, whereas healing a fatal wound is practically impossible to do without repercussions."

"You can heal her?" Luke asked, turning towards him with burning eyes. Zeref nodded, seeing the man glance between them, worry in his gaze. "It normally takes a warlock to cure demon poisons…just what type of magic do you use?"

Zeref knelt down on the ground, picking up the seraph blade with a frown on his face. "Magic…my magic is not meant for healing," Zeref stated quietly, drawing the blade across his wrist. Dark red liquid pooled on his skin, the strange coloration a combination of his unique blood and ichor mixed together. "It only kills that which it touches. Doing otherwise requires tremendous effort, along with payment owed to the light in return for restoring something to the dark."

Jocelyn glared at him, tears in her eyes as she held Clary's body close to her. The teenager's skin was becoming paler, sweat on her skin as her body attempted to fight against the poison running in her veins. "Shut up and just tell us what we have to do! I'm not about to let my daughter die. I never wanted her to be involved in this kind of life in the first place! If she dies…it'll be my fault, for not keeping her away from this…for letting her become one of them…." she stated, trailing off into a horrified whisper.

Zeref nodded, holding out his palm underneath the blood dripping from his arm. The liquid pooled in his grip, the color staining his skin and leaving the others watching him with curious expressions. "I know the feeling all too well. After all, it is my fault that many worlds have perished and joined the Void. It is easy to become consumed with despair as a result, so I do not recommend blaming yourself for your daughter's actions," Zeref stated, kneeling down next to Clary.

Mavis hesitated, taking a step closer with a frown on her face. "Zeref, what are you doing?"

The demon focused solely on the red-headed girl on the ground while he replied. "Saving her life. As stated before, my magic is not capable of healing, however, my blood is a different matter," he stated darkly. Jocelyn flinched at his words, pulling Clary away from Zeref in an instant. Her protective grip clutched Clary's hair, keeping her face pressed into Jocelyn's stomach.

"No, I have seen what demon blood does to shadowhunters," Jocelyn stated, her gaze harsh as she focused on Zeref. "Valentine already showed me how it corrupts. If it affects her as it did me…" she stated, a haunted look on her face. "She isn't strong enough for those nightmares, I won't let you do this."

Luke touched Jocelyn's shoulder, gazing over at Zeref while he shook his head ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, but I agree with Jocelyn," he stated. "Clary can get help from the Institute…" he began, only to be shocked as Zeref ripped off the sleeve of Clary's shirt. Underneath, the wound was still bleeding, covering her shoulder in smears of red. Underneath that, inky black markings trailed along her shoulder, trailing along towards her neck and hiding underneath her shirt as they moved towards her chest.

Luke glanced down in horror at the marking, while Zeref stared at the couple calmly. "She does not have that much time. If the poison reaches her heart, she cannot be saved. _Scorpio_ venom is designed to give the victim a quick, painful death. My blood can counteract the poison. However, Jocelyn is correct to be wary. It will not be a pleasant experience for anyone with angelic blood, as her body will reject anything of demonic taint," the demon explained. "Even so, it will purge the venom from her body, as she rejects my own blood in the process."

Jocelyn seemed to hesitate, biting her lip as she gazed down at her daughter. Luke touched her arm, his gaze steady as he focused on her green eyes. Slowly, Jocelyn loosened her grip, Clary's face now facing upwards as Zeref approached. "Do it…just promise me, she won't die," Jocelyn whispered, staring into Zeref's calculating black eyes.

The demon nodded, pulling Clary over to himself as he sat on the ground in front of Jocelyn. "So long as it takes effect quick enough, she shall survive. In what state, I cannot say," Zeref commented, frowning slightly. "I have not done this for a shadowhunter before. I am unsure of what side-effects it will have on her system."

Mavis sat next to him, her green eyes calm as she focused on Jocelyn. "Even so, it is her only chance. I have seen this work before, in Magnolia. Zeref's blood allowed for countless wizards to survive when they should have perished from demon toxins. It is Clary's best chance, regardless of the risk due to her angelic blood," she stated.

Igneel huffed, lying down on the ground behind Zeref and Mavis. "If you're going to save the girl, I'd suggest working quickly. I cannot remain outside for long, Lord Zeref," he commented.

The demon emperor nodded, locking eyes with Jocelyn momentarily. The older shadowhunter seemed to hesitate, before giving him one swift nod. With permission granted, Zeref pulled open Clary's jaw and pressed his bloody palm to her mouth. The small amount of liquid pooled in his hand slowly began to trickle into her throat, making the girl cough violently as it slid down her mouth. Zeref pressed her down, forcing his blood to remain within her until the coughing subsided.

Satisfied, Zeref pulled his hand away from her, leaving a dark red stain on the skin surrounding her mouth and on his own hand. Clary's breathing had become shallow, gasping as her chest rose and fell at a rapid rate. Frowning, Zeref pulled the edge of her shirt down, trying to see just how far the toxin had spread in her body. Jocelyn's hand shot out and stopped him, glaring at the demon until he dropped his own hand. All he had managed to see were black, ink-like lines spiking across her collar bone before she had stopped him.

Zeref leaned back, watching the girl as a light shaking seemed to take over her body. Her arms twitched by her sides, her breathing now making hitching sounds as her right leg kicked out to her side. Zeref instinctively blocked it, grabbing her leg and pinning it down on the ground as he narrowed his gaze at Clary. "She's seizing. I suppose that is a good sign," he mused quietly, seeing Jocelyn's horrified expression.

Luke slapped Zeref at his words, leaving the demon blinking at him in surprise. "Good sign? How the hell is a seizure a good sign?" he demanded, reaching over to try and help keep Clary still. If she moved too much in this narrow alley, she could very well slam her head against something and wind up with a concussion.

Zeref sighed, shaking his head at the werewolf as Clary's body arched upward, spasming on the ground. "Her nerves are reacting to the impulses being sent by her brain. If the toxin had spread, the nerves would have been dead already and she would remain still," Zeref explained, watching as a slight amount of color began to return to her cheeks. It wasn't much, just a splotch of pink on an otherwise white face, but it was enough for Zeref to feel confident in his assessment.

"Oh my god…what have I done?" Jocelyn asked, leaning back with her eyes wide. The older woman seemed to be growing pale as well, blood draining from her face as she watched her daughter convulse on the street. Clary's arm shot out, nearly smacking Luke in the face before Zeref grabbed it and held it down along with her leg.

Zeref glared at Jocelyn, his dark eyes harsh as he fought against Clary's strength. "I warned you of the risks, shadowhunter. This may save her from the toxin, but if she continues reacting this way to my own blood, she will still end up perishing here," he insisted.

Luke glared back at the demon in return, his gaze focused on Zeref as Clary gasped, her eyes flashing open and rolling back into her head. "How dare you? You are a monster, saying you'll save her only to end up killing her instead!" he shouted, his voice echoing around them.

"Stop yelling at him!" Mavis called out in return, her hands on her hips as she leaned over towards Luke. "He is doing his best. It isn't his fault that Clary has angelic blood, so stop blaming Zeref for your problems."

Luke let out a dark, humorless laugh at her words. "Right, because he _isn't_ the reason demons are here in the first place," he stated sarcastically, turning back towards the black haired demon. "If he hadn't created them at all, Clary would never have had to fight. In the end, no matter how you look at it, all of this goes back to _him._ "

Zeref had not realized the werewolf had believed his words before, but they still struck him hard. His eyes flashed red, anger burning in his chest as his legs began to straighten, rising to his feet. Clary kicked out wildly, her legs now freed from restraints and slamming into Zeref's own feet. The demon ignored them, gazing harshly down at Luke. "Do not speak of my past, werewolf. I care not who you are, if you continue to anger me, I shall end your life. I do not tolerate interference in my work, nor do I enjoy hearing others bring up a history they cannot comprehend."

The werewolf swallowed, his eyes now wide as his glare vanished. Zeref could see the creature's instincts working, the pulse quickening in his body as his breathing became ever so slightly harder. Slowly, Luke nodded, returning his gaze to Clary in silence as her tremors began to slow down. The sweat on the girl's skin seemed to soak into her clothes, leaving Clary wet and sticky as she stilled. Luke released her and scooted back, watching her carefully as her eyes drifted shut once more, breathing heavily on the ground.

Zeref could see her eyes moving rapidly underneath her eyelids, the muscles around them tense as she frowned in her sleep. "It appears to have taken hold. She will require some time to recover, but I believe she will manage to survive this," Zeref commented.

Jocelyn released a breath of relief, smiling over at Luke. "Thank god…Clary is going to be just fine," she whispered, while Luke glanced over at Zeref with a scowl.

"By the angel, if she'd gotten any worse…" he began, trailing off at the dark look on Zeref's face. The redness had faded from his eyes, but even so, the gaze of the demon emperor was not a comfortable one to meet. Instead of finishing his statement, Luke seemed to have thought better and switched to a question. "How did this even work anyway? I mean, ichor seems like a strange cure for a poison that came from a demon."

Zeref gave him a small smile, raising his arm in response to Luke's question. "Perhaps, though my blood is not like that of your typical demons. The ichor in their bodies comes from the fact that their lives came from nonliving objects. Blood belongs solely to the living, and it is quite difficult to reproduce. Ichor is similar in the sense that it carries the nutrients required for a demon to survive, however, it only exists in those created from nothing. Anything resurrected, or even born through natural means, has blood flowing in their veins, a substance that can carry oxygen throughout the body to sustain their muscles."

Jocelyn frowned, clearly lost. "How does that explain anything?" she asked, before she blinked in surprise at his arm. "Wait…that color…it's almost as if it isn't…" Her voice trailed off, while Zeref's smile widened.

"Indeed, it isn't entirely ichor. My blood is…almost a cross between that of a demon and that of a mortal. The nutrients required to feed my body are a combination of what is needed by a human and that of a demon, thus resulting in the strangeness of my blood." Zeref explained, dropping his arm back into his lap. "However, that alone is not the reason this works. To be honest, the truth as to that is not something you would believe so easily. Now that you've accepted what I truly am, you no longer trust me based on your previous knowledge of demons."

Luke and Jocelyn glanced at each other, hesitating while Zeref sighed in front of them. "Ultimately, this means it is rather pointless for me to explain, but if you think you can bring yourself to see me as an honest demon, I shall tell you the truth."

Mavis smiled over at Zeref, sitting down on the ground next to him and leaning over against his shoulder. Behind them, Igneel was slowly falling asleep, exhausted from crossing over to this world. The demon emperor shifted slightly as Mavis joined him, his gaze flickering over to her briefly before returning to Jocelyn and Luke. "I…I guess we don't have a choice. Whatever you did, it saved Clary's life. Despite what you may be…I can't help by be grateful for what you've done," Jocelyn stated, glancing over at her daughter for a moment.

Luke sighed, slowly nodding as well. "If Jocelyn trusts you, I'll do the same. You aren't a typical demon, I can tell that much already," he commented.

Zeref nodded, glancing down at his lap with a frown on his face. "Very well. In order to understand, first you must be aware of why I created the demons in the first place," he began, his voice dark as he spoke of his past. "You see, I had lived for quite some time already. The world was out of balance, an angel busy at work making lives for the light, while I did nothing. I held no desire to destroy, no wish to end life, yet I myself was born to establish this balance. My very essence, everything I did, it all only brought about destruction and death."

Jocelyn and Luke were frowning, unsure of what to make of this story. Mavis, however, was watching with wide eyes, an eager smile on her face as if Zeref were telling a children's story. "One day, in a realm whose name I have long forgotten, I encountered this creator of light. At that point in history, we were simply nameless beings facing off against each other. Due to the heat of the day and the brightness of the sun, I called him August, after the month it appeared to be. He, in turn, named me Zeref, a name he claimed to mean 'Light's Contradiction' in his own native tongue."

The demon's gaze was distant, his black eyes cold as he stared at the ground in front of his legs. "I did not understand what he meant by that at the time, but I came to understand in time. You see, the existence of good and evil, of light and dark, contradicts itself. There can never be light if there is no darkness, just as darkness cannot exist without light. He and I were the same, meant to create and destroy lives, yet complete opposites at our core. Learning this, that I lived solely because he existed, it haunted me. What did it make me, a being who simply existed to counter out the actions of another? My survival was dependent on his existence, yet for some reason, that fact made me despise him further."

Jocelyn and Luke seemed to be concerned, seeing the darkness in Zeref's expression. Mavis bit her lip, touching his arm lightly and bringing Zeref out of his memories for just a moment. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before continuing on. "August told me it would not be enough, the day I came for him. I had yet to create a single life, yet he had created thousands, millions, perhaps even billions of life forms at that point. He told me I would suffer, for even as he perished, I was the only one capable of balancing out the world with the darkness it needed."

"His words proved to be true, in the end. I strove to prove him wrong, to find an end to my pointless existence. I did not wish to play a role in this war of his, to create life that is only meant to steal the lives of others. Thinking about it, I suppose that is the contradiction he was referring to with my name, however it is not what pushed me to truly utilize the power I was given. No, what truly pushed me to that point was my next discovery."

Mavis stared at Zeref, her gaze slowly dropping as she realized where this story was heading. "You discovered your immortality," she stated quietly, while Zeref nodded.

Luke scoffed at her words, rolling his eyes at them. "Immortality isn't such big deal, I mean you already knew you were immortal based on how long you had been alive, right?" he asked.

Zeref raised an eyebrow at him, his head tilted slightly to the side. "Is that so? Perhaps I had learned that I possessed eternal life, but immortality is quite different," he stated. Luke frowned at first, before his eyes widened at what Zeref was implying. "I attacked August's warriors of the light, bringing about a war between myself and an army of angels. Many of his creations fell, however, my entire goal was simply to provoke them. I wished for my life to end, to join my other half in death and leave this world behind."

Jocelyn looked at him sympathetically, pain in her gaze. "You failed…even angels couldn't kill you," she whispered. "You had no one that cared about you, no one to love you…I understand why you thought that was the only path for you."

Zeref shrugged, feeling Mavis wrap her hands around his right arm. She pressed her head against his shoulder, her hair tickling the skin on his bicep as she closed her eyes, a frown of discomfort on her face. "My desire for death ultimately led to the creation of demons. I wished to create a creature strong enough to end my own life, and as such, I needed powerful monsters who wanted to do nothing but destroy their target," he explained. Mavis turned her head into his arm, burying her head even further against Zeref's body.

The demon glanced down at her, frowning at her actions as Luke copied his expression. "That still doesn't explain anything. How does your blood act as a cure for their poisons?" he demanded.

The demon smiled darkly, his eyes flickering to the stain still lingering on his hands. "I am immortal. As such, with every demon that attacked me, my body built up new defenses against their weapons. Within my blood are antibodies and antidotes of all kinds, built up after centuries of battling my own creations. In essence, my blood is the ultimate antidote for demon poisonings and diseases, a cure-all simply due to the fact that my body resists anything that could possibly bring me to the brink of death."

Luke seemed to have another question, leaning forward towards Zeref as a phone's ringing echoed throughout the alley. The demon frowned, unused to the strange sound of music pouring out from no where. "Oooh! What's that, Zeref? It sounds similar to what I heard with the fairies. Well…" she stated, frowning as she listened closer to the strange ring tone. "I guess it isn't that similar…their music was much prettier, melodious and sweet…"

"It's Clary's phone," Jocelyn stated, as if it explained everything. Zeref frowned, trying to recall just what a phone was. He didn't know if such a thing had been in this world during his last visit here. With shadowhunters in this world, he typically was not fond of staying for long.

Zeref observed as Jocelyn pulled the device out from Clary's pocket. It was a small rectangular object, surprising Zeref with how loud the sound had been. "Hello?" Jocelyn stated into the device. Mavis watched with wide eyes, pulling away from Zeref to lean close into Jocelyn's face.

The shadowhunter frowned at her, leaning back to listen to whoever was speaking. "Jace, I'm sorry, but Clary can't really—" Jocelyn began, before Zeref's gaze snapped up, recognizing the name. He reached out, snatching the device from her hand and pressing it to his own ear, just as she had done. "Hey!" she shouted, but Zeref ignored her in favor of determining how to speak with the shadowhunter he had some form of agreement with.

"Alec, something's up with Clary!" he heard on the other end, somewhat muted and strangely crackly compared to the boy's normal voice.

Zeref paused for a moment, deciding to at least attempt to speak to him. "Ah, you mean the red-haired shadowhunter girl, correct?" Zeref asked, hearing silence on the other end. Uncertain of if he had been heard, he decided to simply continue on anyway. "She is…resting, though I suppose not too peacefully at the moment."

Clary mumbled in her sleep as if in response to his words, rolling over and curling up on her side. Creases could be seen on her forehead, her body closing in on itself as if it could be shielded from her own mind. "You bastard, what the hell did you do to Clary?" Jace demanded, finally giving Zeref the clue he needed to determine this device truly could communicate with others.

"As I stated before, she is resting," Zeref stated, glancing over at her. "She was suffering from a _scorpio's_ poison, however, I have already dealt with that problem."

There was a pause, before laughter echoed on the other end of the phone. "A demon? Attacking at three in the afternoon?" he demanded, more laughter coming from the boy. "I'd sooner believe Magnus had given up glitter than believe that story," There was another pause while Zeref frowned, unsure of how to react to his statement. "Oh, and since you probably don't know this yet, Magnus wears _a lot_ of glitter. Like, I seriously doubt the man can survive without it."

The demon paused, seeing Jocelyn watching him with a frown. "As interesting as that sounds, my story remains true," Zeref commented. "Acnologia attempted to break the barrier again, and in its weakened state, lesser demons came through. The weaker the barrier becomes, the easier it will be for demons to adapt to this world, Jace. Sunlight will currently leave them in a weakened state, though it no longer kills them in this world," Zeref commented, his gaze flickering over to Igneel. The _dragonidae_ appeared to be breathing heavily, clearly still not doing well in the light. "Speaking of which, I have a strange question to ask of you. Do mortals still utilize umbrellas in this realm, or something of a similar nature? I believe I am in need of something to block out the sunlight at the moment."

Jace scoffed on the other end of the line, clearly disliking Zeref's request. "No, we use our sheer awesomeness to repel the water from our bodies. When you have so much of it to use, it becomes hard to actually get wet these days," he commented, making Zeref scowl in response. If the boy had been here, the demon wasn't sure if he would have been able to be quite so patient with him. "Seriously, do you think I'm an idiot? You are staying at Magnus'. There's no way in hell, no pun intended by the way, that I'm letting a _demon_ wander around the streets of New York."

Zeref frowned, gazing around at his current surroundings. Perhaps the darkened alleyway was not exactly a street, but it was close enough to be upsetting to the shadowhunter. "I see, then I suppose I should apologize," Zeref commented.

Mavis was watching Zeref closely as he spoke, clearly fascinated by the device he was using. Jocelyn and Luke looked like they wanted to take the phone back, but neither of them wanted to incur Zeref's wrath to do so. Thus, the demon was left alone in peace while he waited for Jace to respond.

The Herondale took a moment, clearly warring with himself over what to say. "Please tell me you're joking. Or I'm dreaming and that I'm going to wake up and discover that you were just a figment of my imagination."

Zeref glanced around him, deciding to at least give Jace some measure of relief. "Well, I am not sure if you would call this place a street, exactly. It would more accurately be considered an alley, quite necessary considering our companions at the moment," he stated. His gaze focused on Igneel once more, wondering just how Natsu would react to seeing the demon once more. The smile on his brother's face would be worth saving this creature, as would the potential strength Natsu could gain.

The response on the other end of the line seemed to involve a lot of swearing, though Zeref simply gazed calmly at the demon by his side while Jace calmed himself. "Fine, you win. I'm on my way, just tell me where to go."

Zeref smiled, chuckling in amusement at the irritation in Jace's voice. "I did not expect to win you over so easily, angel boy," he commented, remembering the burning fire in Jace's golden eyes. He told Jace where to come, before hesitating another moment, glancing at Igneel. "Oh, and I was serious earlier about the umbrella, Jace. I have a rather…unexpected ally that arrived just now. Should you harm him, I guarantee you that I will not be the only person upset with your actions."

There was no reply from the boy on the other end, leaving Zeref wondering if the device in his hand was still working. After a few moments of silence, a strange beeping echoed from the object, making Zeref pull it away and frown at it. Jocelyn took the phone from his hand, shaking her head at him as she ended the call. Zeref was still lost about her next comment, unsure of what to make of her exasperation. "Honestly, I never thought I'd meet a teenager who didn't know how to use a phone. I guess you learn something new every day."

 **So, I hate leaving a story at a cliffhanger like the last one for long. As a result, I have another update ready for you already! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	16. Darkness' Resolution

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or the Mortal Instruments

The wait for Jace was filled with awkward silence. Zeref had spoken more than he wished to with these strangers, and now, he refused to answer any further questions about himself. Mavis was content to simply play around with Zeref's hair, which made the demon frown as she stretched up to the top of his head with a grin to twirl it around her fingers. He felt her pulling and tugging on it every so often, but he did not move to stop her actions.

Jocelyn and Luke settled for watching over Clary. Her color had fully returned at this point, perhaps a bit too much from what Zeref could see. Pink splotches were visible on her cheeks, making the demon wonder if she had a fever as a side-effect of ingesting his blood. He truly did not know if his blood would harm her or not, so it was best to keep a careful eye on the shadowhunter until she was completely healed.

When the golden shadowhunter did arrive, he brought his _parabatai_ with him, the quieter boy carrying the umbrella Zeref had requested. Silently, Alec tossed it over to the demon, who caught it in the air and flicked it open. He moved over towards Igneel, ignoring Mavis' protests as he sat by the _dragoidae's_ side.

Jace's eyes found Clary immediately, rushing to her side with focus written on his face. For one so young, Zeref was surprised to see just how collected the boy appeared to be. "How is she?" he asked quietly, looking to Luke and Jocelyn for answers.

"She's fine…though she's been a bit restless as she sleeps, nothing else has really been bothering her." Luke commented. Jace frowned at this, pressing his hand to her forehead for a moment.

He pulled out his _stele,_ preparing to press it to her skin. Zeref noticed this, dropping the umbrella and rushing over to stop the boy. Any more angelic interference could very well bring back the rejection Clary had faced before. His hand shot out, grabbing Jace's wrist. The shadowhunter's golden eyes blazed, glaring over at Zeref. "Let me go. Clary needs an _iratze,_ she's burning up right now."

Zeref gazed steadily into his eyes, his black eyes emotionless as he focused on the shadowhunter. "Normally, I would have no objection, however, doing so now would only make things worse." Zeref told him.

"Why would it make her worse?" Alec asked from behind him, frowning as he came closer. His blue eyes flickered over to the sleeping dragon, biting his lip nervously before focusing back on Zeref instead. "I mean, _iratzes_ are meant to heal. Even if the fever is some lingering effect of the demon's poison, the worst it could do is nothing."

Zeref hesitated, unsure of how these two would react. Jocelyn had clearly disliked the idea of Zeref's treatment for the toxin, so it was expected for them to react in a similar manner. With a sigh, he realized he had little choice but to explain, however. "As I stated before, that would be under normal conditions. At the moment, her discomfort lies in her body's reaction to my…methods of purifying the poison," he commented, trying to avoid revealing everything to them.

Luke glanced down at Clary, his hand rubbing her hair gently as he avoided Jace's questioning gaze. When he turned his golden eyes towards Jocelyn, the older shadowhunter remained just as silent as Luke. She focused on the ground, avoiding his gaze until Jace gave up and turned towards Zeref for answers. "I asked you before, and now I'm going to ask you again. What the hell did you do to Clary?"

Zeref met his golden eyes, steadily observing the growing fire within them. "I gave her my blood. I have no intention of providing the explanation behind why a second time, though. In the end, it is what cured her, but at the same time, angels are not meant to mix with demons."

Jace glared at Zeref, shoving the demon back harshly as he rose to his feet. "Oh yeah? That's great coming from the demon who seems to be sleeping with one of these supposed angels."

Zeref's eyes flashed red, anger rising at the implied meaning in his words. "Do not think you understand either of us. History only has one tale to share of interactions between angels and demons, and that is one of war and bloodshed."

Jace scoffed, stepping closer to Zeref. The demon had regained his balance, but the golden shadowhunter was not done yet. Jace threw a punch towards the demon, slamming his fist into Zeref's face and sending the demon stumbling back towards the wall behind him. "Well, I guess it's only fair for me to continue that legacy. After all, I do have the blood of angels in my veins, right?"

Zeref gazed over at Jace steadily, the red fading from his eyes as he frowned at the shadowhunter. "This is for Clary," Jace stated, his glare harshening as he charged forward towards Zeref. The black haired boy did not even move to dodge, watching as Jace kicked out towards him and sent the demon sprawling out on the ground. "You're nothing but a monster. Even when you claim to be helping others, all you do is destroy!"

The shadowhunter did not seem satisfied yet, moving closer and kicking Zeref's side, He pulled back for another kick, only this time he was interrupted by Alec, his blue eyes wide as he stared at his friend. "Jace, that's enough," Alec stated quietly. Zeref was staring at both of them with blank eyes, his mind seeing another young man in Jace's place. This one had hair that seemed almost as gold, though his eyes did not burn with the golden light of this shadowhunter. He had been an angel, and this was the wrath he had expected from that man. Instead, August had simply gazed at Zeref with sadness in his eyes.

The words August had stated, the way he had acted, it was almost as if the angel was pitying Zeref. "There is light in you, but you are destined to serve the darkness. It seems only fitting to call you Zeref, Light's Contradiction. Perhaps one day, you will show me just why this is, what it does to someone when they only destroy everything they love," he had insisted, a memory from years ago playing out in his mind.

Someone shook his body, leaving Zeref blinking a few times. Before him was a different boy, sharp blue eyes staring at him with worry. "Zeref, snap out of it," Alec said, shaking him again. Zeref shook his head, pressing his palm to his forehead as he took a deep breath. "We need you. You're the one who did this to Clary, so you have to tell us what we can do to help her."

The demon looked away, his gaze staring at anything other than Jace. That boy, now that he saw the resemblance to August he could not forget about it. The attitude was completely wrong, but it did not change the similarities the shadowhunter's appearance had to the former angel of creation. "Is this truly my destiny?" Zeref said at last, managing to get some form of words out. They sounded distant to his ears, almost monotone as he tried to shake off even more lingering memories.

Mavis' eyes were wide, kneeling down in front of him next to Alec. "Zeref, you didn't do anything wrong," she began, reaching towards him.

Zeref saw her hand approaching, at first feeling a small amount of relief at the gesture. She had always helped him calm down, grounding him in some form and keeping him on the path he wished to follow. It made him feel warm, like he belonged in this world for the first time in centuries, if not longer. However, August's words echoed in his mind once more, fear sending chills through his spine. He slapped Mavis' hand away, instead pulling his legs to his chest and clutching his head with both hands.

"No…I will not…" he whispered, his heart rate quickening. He could feel something pounding in his body, his magic reacting to the onset of his panic. "Please…I don't want to…everyone, get away!" Zeref shouted, tears falling from his eyes as the power rose within him. The shout woke up Igneel, who took one look at Zeref and knew to listen to his call. The demon fled in an instant, before any of the others had a chance to react.

Jace stared at Zeref with wide eyes, shocked as Alec shoved his _parabatai_ back. Still slightly stunned, the shadowhunters began to rush away, only stopping to pick up Clary and bring her along. Black shadows rose, far quicker than the last time and surrounding Zeref as images of an older August flashed in his mind. "Still not accepting destiny, are you? You are like a leaf in a river, forever fighting against the current but inevitably flowing downstream in the end. Follow the call of your power and help bring balance to this world, Zeref. In the end, it will make things easier if you accept what you truly are."

Zeref clutched his ears even tighter, his chest feeling tight as he clenched his teeth together. The tears on his cheeks meant little to him, with the storm growing within his own mind. The shadows around responded in kind, growing even larger than before and swirling angrily in the sky, daring anyone to approach. "No…" Zeref whispered, shaking slowly taking control of his body. "I'm not…please, I don't want to be…"

His eyes snapped shut, flinching as something was dropped nearby. He did not know what it was, but any sound was too much at this point. In his memories, August aged again, this time smiling as he rested on the ground by Zeref's side. He had stopped aging long before that point, but he wondered why August continued to appear older every time they met. "Old friend…I did not expect to see you again."

Zeref had glanced over at August, scowling in response. "I'm not your friend. You've made that quite clear, you simply see me as a tool to be used, a way to achieve this balance you want."

August chuckled, patting Zeref's head gently and leaving the demon frowning in confusion at the older man. "Ah, Zeref, my greatest achievement yet. I thought I was nearing the end, but every time I get close to the abyss, I see your face and it pulls me back," he stated quietly. "One day, you will know of what you are meant to do. Balance is always key, something that took me a long time to learn."

Zeref had shrugged, unconcerned with the issue at the time. "Balance means nothing to me. In the end, I have nothing to live for. I…I don't even know who I am. No one cares about me, nor do I care for others. I've always been alone…yet I always find myself talking to you. Why?"

August smiled at him, a light in his eyes that Zeref would never forget. The man's eyes had been just as black as his own, a pitch black hole that someone could drown in if they weren't careful. Somehow, the angel managed to make them look brighter than the sun with a single smile, and the look had left Zeref staring with wide eyes. "Because you are my contradiction. You care for no one, thus you find yourself in need of someone," he stated as if it explained everything.

When Zeref did not reply, August touched the boy's shoulder. "There is too much light in the world, old friend. I wish I had not done the things I did, for it is my fault that this destiny falls upon your shoulders," he stated, his smile fading and his eyes losing the light Zeref had just seen.

* * *

For some reason, Zeref could never remember why he had been angry. Whenever he thought about the angel's words, there was no malice or hatred to be found. August had only been trying to help, yet Zeref had lashed out. Sitting in the alley, the demon felt a sob tear through him, his body falling forward and onto his hands and knees as the memory took control of him again.

* * *

Zeref visited August one more time, this time seeing the man's hair the color of snow in the sky, flowing and free like the clouds that it fell from. The angel seemed pleased to see Zeref, meeting in a world where none of his creations lived. It was the first time August came to Zeref, rather than the other way around. "Old friend, no, my greatest joy, I cannot express how pleased I am to have found you again."

Zeref gazed at him steadily, looking up from a book he had been reading. Even back then, angels had managed to create tools to write. Their language had fascinated the demon, leaving him researching their scrolls at all times of day, learning as much as he could. "This is unexpected. I do not recall seeing you visit my realm before."

August nodded, gazing around at the darkness of the room. Stone walls surrounded Zeref, simple and plain. A mock-chair had been built, an elevated location created simply by placing a large rock inside. Zeref was seated atop of it, his legs folded as he hunched over the scroll in his lap. "Yes, I had wanted to save this discovery for last. The greatest creation of my own creation…the knowledge of just what you could do."

Zeref frowned, his head tilting to the side as August gazed over at Zeref. "The time is coming, Zeref. You must take charge, before it is too late. Balance is falling apart, and without you, everything will cease to exist," he pleaded, while Zeref sighed, shaking his head.

"Leave if that is all you desire. I told you before, I am not a killer, nor do I plan on creating monsters in this world."

August stepped forward, startling Zeref as he gripped the demon's shoulders and leaned close to his face. "No! Please, I beg of you, do something! I can't…my power is failing me…nothing is working as it should…" he whispered, his eyes wild as Zeref saw hints of insanity in their depths.

Zeref hesitated, for the first time feeling worry for the man that had been by his side for as long as he could remember. As a child, August had been there, smiling and helping Zeref figure out how to use his magic. When Zeref first killed with his magic, August had been there to explain the cycle of life to him. In the end, the angel was almost like a father to the demon, and for the first time in his long life, Zeref realized that there was someone in this world that he cared for. "August…I…I want to help you, but I can't…I don't want to be a monster, the demon you claim I was born to be."

August focused on Zeref, his black eyes seeming to calm for a moment as he took a deep breath. A sad smile spread across his face, the man's hand still resting on Zeref's shoulder as he leaned back. "I see…I've finally figured it out…" he whispered, that smile growing as he released the demon. "Zeref, my greatest creation, my one and only son…" he whispered, startling the demon as the angel pulled him into a tight hug. The angel's body was burning hot, heavenly fire rushing through his veins, but the heat did not bother Zeref. "I wish for you to have happiness, but unfortunately I cannot grant it to you. This pain…how sweet it is, to know what this feels like…"

Zeref blinked at him, his eyes innocent and wide at the sight of tears on August's face. "You are the one with my power, the only one who can balance out the light I've created in this world…I'm sorry to make you suffer, my Zeref, my son. However, balance must always be preserved, and it appears I must pay the price for attempting to break that balance."

Zeref's hand reached out towards August when he took a step back. "Wait! What do you mean?" he pleaded, confusion making him frown. "I…please, talk to me. I want to know…why are you calling me your son? Why do I have to suffer? Just what did you learn that is so important?"

August closed his eyes, leaning back as he stepped outside and into the sun. It was like the day Zeref first remembered meeting him, seeing a young boy with blond hair laughing in the golden light of the midday summer light. This time, his gaze was bittersweet, locked on an older version of Zeref in a different realm. "I've learned what it means….for a parent to love their child."

Zeref stared at him for a moment, frowning before slowly shaking his head. "No, that doesn't make sense," he whispered, focusing on August again. His hand reached out, taking another step towards the man. "I want the truth, August. Who am I to you?"

The angel gasped, choking as Zeref's hand touched the man's arm in his quest to reach out towards his friend. The demon's eyes went wide at the man's actions, feeling his body shoved back by August as the angel began to scream. "No!….I will not….I am…that boy is my…" he muttered, the old man's hands clutching his own face as he writhed on the ground.

Smoke was forming around the man, the angel's fire beginning to ignite without August's command. "August?" Zeref said questioningly, hesitantly stepping closer.

The angel's hand shot out, his black eyes wide with terror. "No, get away!" he had shouted, making Zeref take a startled step back. "Darkness must be made to match light…balance must always be preserved…oh, Zeref, I'm so sorry…please, do not…" his voice trailed off, his body spasming as flames shot into the sky, a beacon for any angel that was not aware of what was occurring in August.

Not caring about the warning, Zeref rushed to the angel's side and held onto the older man as he began breathing heavily, his eyes fluttering and staring wildly into the sky. "Don't forget…balance out the light…create darkness in order to preserve the light…" August whispered, leaving Zeref staring at him with wide eyes. The old man seemed to shudder, his body going limp in Zeref's arms.

The demon stared with wide eyes at him, feeling moisture pool in his eyes and slowly begin to fall down his cheeks. His father had just died, the man that had raised Zeref and taught him everything he knew. August had died, telling Zeref that it was his destiny to suffer. The demon didn't know what to do or how to react, but unfortunately, he did not have the chance to figure it out.

A blast of power burst forth from August's body, sending Zeref flying back into the wall of his own home. Pain surged through his back, leaving Zeref groaning on the ground as August's body was surrounded with some kind of dark magic. Black shadows enveloped his body, while Zeref glared at them with anger. "No! Leave him alone!" he shouted, lashing out with his own power. Black magic erupted from his system, the plants that had just begun regrowing around his home dying in an instant as he tried to latch onto August's body and free it from this dark spell.

Instead, the darkness of Zeref's magic rebounded on him, sending the demon flying back once more into the wall of his home. This time, the stone wall shattered, breaking upon impact and leaving Zeref collapsed on the ground, surrounded by broken stones. His gaze flickered upward, ignoring his pain as his friend's figure was completely deformed, taking on a new shape with massive wings. The golden hair he once had vanished from sight, his skin transforming into scales as all the light Zeref had once seen in him became darkness.

Before Zeref now stood a new type of creature, one born from Zeref's own neglect of his duty. If only he had done as August had asked and created creatures of darkness in the world, perhaps this could have been avoided. Now, a massive roar echoed around him, pure white eyes gazing at him from a massive, black dragon's face. "Demon…Demon Emperor…" a growly voice rumbled, the distorted voice of his former friend echoing from the creature.

Zeref's eyes were wide as he stared at the creature, rising to his feet at the sound of those words. "No…I'm not…I don't want to be a demon," he whispered.

The creature seemed to laugh, a dark and cruel noise that completely destroyed whatever image Zeref had once had of August. "Is that so? Well, Demon Emperor Zeref, allow me to grant your wish. If you do not wish to hold on to your title, I shall take it from you. I do hope you enjoy finding peace in death, Demon," the beast taunted.

Zeref glared at the creature, standing tall as he held his hand out. Whoever this was, it was not the man that had raised him. The angel was long gone, and now only a demon stood in his place. In order to balance out the light he had created, August had become the ultimate demon, more powerful than any the world would ever see. "No…I will not let that happen." Zeref stated, his head falling to his chest briefly, his eyes closing.

The demon emperor took a deep breath, his tears drying as he raised his gaze to meet the fierce eyes of the dragon. "August said I was like a leaf in a river. It is about time I accepted my fate and flowed down the path I was given. I am the Demon Emperor, the reason you came into existence. I suppose you could call me your creator, but ultimately, it means the same thing. You cannot destroy me, demon," Zeref stated darkly, a black orb forming in his hand.

The creature laughed darkly, amusement in his cold eyes. "Ah, there is the anger I was expecting. I think you've earned my name, Demon Emperor. If you are Zeref, Light's Contradiction, than I shall be Acnologia, Darkness' Resolution. One day, you will perish by my hand, and I shall take your place. After all, can you truly bring yourself to slay the one who controls the body of your beloved father?"

Zeref's eyes went wide as the monster laughed again, flying off into the sky and leaving him alone, standing in what remained of his home. The demon had thought he was alone before, with no one to care for and no one who cared for him, but he had been wrong. He had destroyed the one person he cared for, and turned his own father into a demon by neglecting to listen to what he was told. In the end, he was exactly what August had predicted he would be, a demon born to destroy everything he loved.

 **Surprise! I bet you guys weren't expecting that origin story for Acnologia. However, I kinda liked the idea of doing a role reversal between August and Zeref...hence this chapter. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	17. Reunion

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Zeref was still sobbing in the alley, torn apart by his own memories as the magic swirled out of control around him. It could have gone on for minutes or hours, all Zeref knew was that he was growing tired. The sun had exhausted him enough. Now, the overuse of magic would take care of the rest of his energy that remained after Acnologia's attack.

At the thought of the dragon, Zeref felt a grimace form on his face. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he sat on the ground. His cheeks were wet and tears had been falling for quite some time, leaving his eyes puffy, but that did not stop him from doing what he had mastered over the years. He had learned to meditate, to clear his mind of all his worries and stress in an instant. When things grew to be too painful, when Zeref's sorrow became too much to endure, this was his solution. He would forget everything, just for a moment, and find peace within the solitude of his own mind.

The magic slowly began to fade away, vanishing and leaving Zeref sitting in the alley on the ground, with his legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. His head was leaning forward against his chest, his eyes closed as his bangs covered his eyes. With the magic gone, the others returned, but Zeref did not move from his position on the street.

"Is that really what that kid's magic does?" Luke was asking, whispering to Jace as they approached. "That's…that's just messed up," he stated, not having more words to describe it.

Zeref took a deep breath, his head lifting towards them before he opened his eyes. "Yes, it is. I am a demon, born to destroy everything I come into contact with. Did you truly expect anything else?"

Zeref could hear the stiffness in his voice, though the others did not comment on his appearance. Alec nudged Jace slightly as they stood awkwardly in front of Zeref, pushing the blond closer to the demon. "Look, I guess I owe you an apology," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You did what you could to protect Clary, and I just overreacted. I didn't mean to make you, uh, go crazy and try and kill everyone again."

Alec glared at Jace, smacking the boy's arm before he sighed. "What Jace _meant_ to say, is that he shouldn't have started a fight in the first place. I mean, we did agree to work together, right?" he clarified.

Zeref nodded, gazing down at his lap in silence. He did not feel like speaking, not after everything he had just relived through. "Something isn't right," Mavis commented, stepping closer to Zeref with narrowed eyes. The demon did not react, his expression still empty as he stared at his hands rather than Mavis' light green eyes.

"No way, I thought this was perfectly normal," Jace said with mock surprise. "Come on, you can't be that depressed over this. I mean, for starters, you're a demon. You have got to be used to people attacking you. If that isn't enough, you're immortal, so it's not like you're actually hurt."

Zeref closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists on his knees as he took a deep breath, slowing his breathing in general and calming himself even further. "You simply reminded me of a time in my life that I would rather forget," Zeref stated after a few moments, glancing back up at Jace. "You truly are nothing like him, so why do you remind me of him?"

Jace shrugged, leaning against one of the houses in the alley. "Well, if you ever met a man with a face as amazingly handsome as this one, I'm sure you'd remember it well. After all, it takes a lot of work to look this good."

Zeref frowned, focusing on the energy he sensed within Jace this time instead of his appearance. It was bothering him, this sense he got, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. "It's different…stronger…" he whispered, his eyes closed as Jace frowned. The energy within his body, now that Zeref truly focused on Jace he could tell that it was stronger than usual. In fact, Clary was much the same, though her energy was less than that of Jace's.

Staring at Jace, Zeref frowned and rose to his feet, inspecting the boy even closer. "Okay, now you're just making me uncomfortable. Not that I'm not flattered or anything, but I have a girlfriend," the shadowhunter said, leaning back as Zeref tilted his head to the side.

"That is why, the similarity I sense," he commented. "Not only do you look like him, but your energy…it is just as light and bright as his was, albeit weaker."

"Do we want to know what you're talking about?" Alec asked, frowning between the demon and his _parabatai._

Jace stared at Zeref, shaking his head immediately. "Hell no, I have no interest in finding out if I'm now the love interest of some demon. That'd just be disturbing."

Jocelyn gave him an exasperated look, with Luke watching silently from the distance. Zeref only frowned, shaking his head at the boy. He truly was full of himself, proud much like the shadowhunters Zeref had met in the past. Even so, there was something in Jace's eyes that made the demon wonder if it was just a show of some kind. The shadowhunter seemed kind and loyal, protective of his friends regardless of who he was facing.

Zeref moved to join them, seeing Igneel among the group. Mavis had the umbrella in her hand, holding it over the demon's head to at least provide it with some shade in the street. Seeing the dragon made Zeref frown, his mind thinking back to a different dragon that was on its way here. "Let's get going. After all, Natsu needs to finish his training, based on what I've gathered."

The others frowned at him, uncertain of what to do with him in this strange mood. "Uh, Zeref?" Mavis asked, walking beside him as they moved through the streets. The demon appeared to be moving towards Magnus' home, with the shadowhunters following close behind. Igneel remained close to Mavis, staying underneath the shield of the umbrella in her hand. "Why did you have a demon train Natsu in magic? I mean, it seems kind of strange, since you are a wizard yourself…"

Zeref smiled slightly, a bit relieved to talk about something other than August or Acnologia at the moment. "Natsu died in a demon attack," Zeref explained calmly. "It seemed fitting for him to learn a style of magic designed to slay such creatures, while providing him with a guard as he grew older. I did not wish to waste my efforts by having him die so soon after being brought back to life."

Mavis shook her head at him, smiling with a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Really? Well, if you ask me, you could have done that yourself, Spriggan."

Zeref shook his head, turning down the next street they came across. "No, that would not be wise," he informed her. "As part of the spell I used to resurrect him, Natsu lost all memories of his childhood. He does not recall meeting me, nor does he remember his true parents. Thusly, the only parent he has ever known growing up is Igneel, and he left when Natsu was about ten if I remember correctly."

Jace shook his head, focusing on the street ahead of them. Magnus' house wasn't that far away from the alley they had been in, and they could already see the apartment building in the distance. "That's just cruel to do. Everyone deserves to remember their family. You might not understand the concept behind it, but to us mortal people, family means a lot."

Zeref glanced over at him sharply, narrowing his eyes as he frowned. "My family perished because of my own selfish refusal to accept my destiny. If I had the choice, I would rather forget and find peace, rather than continue to suffer. I gave Natsu just that, a way to not suffer the knowledge that his entire family was murdered by demons."

Alec blinked in surprise, while Jocelyn and Luke turned to stare at each other in shock. The black haired shadowhunter stated what was on all of their minds, confused with Zeref's comment. "Demons have families? Since when?"

Zeref closed his eyes, wishing they had not ventured back into this topic so soon. "It was a long time ago…to be honest, I am not even sure if he truly was of my blood or not, but he treated me as if I were his son," he explained. "Regardless, that is not what our focus should be. Natsu may be eager to see Igneel again, but he does not realize what Igneel truly is."

"Great, so you gave him to a demon to be raised, and didn't even tell the kid his father was a demon," Jace commented, shaking his head. "What does the kid think Igneel is, then, some kind of demented fairy?"

Mavis smacked his arm, glaring at Jace. "Hey! Don't make fun of fairies, it isn't nice."

Zeref sighed, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the shadowhunter. "That wasn't his point, Mavis. As for Natsu's opinion on what Igneel is…well, he believes the demon is actually a dragon."

Luke blinked at Zeref, his eyes wide as he moved closer to the rest of the group. "A dragon? Like, a fire-breathing, flying lizard?" he demanded. Sure, Igneel did hold the appearance of such a creature, but it was hard for anyone to believe the demon possessed that kind of power.

Zeref nodded, smiling as he walked up to the door of Magnus' apartment. "Indeed, in fact, Natsu is so convinced of this fact that his own magic has been labeled as dragon slaying magic."

The door opened, revealing Magnus on the other side. He gazed down at Zeref with a sigh, leaning against the door frame as his cat-eyes flickered around the rest of the group. "So, you decided to return to your magnificent host. You know, I'm rather upset with you. If I keep losing demons like this, it's going to ruin my reputation," the warlock commented, moving aside to let Zeref in.

The demon emperor held his arm out to stop the others from entering, shaking his head slightly. "Give me one moment, I must warn the others of Igneel's presence," Zeref said.

Magnus glanced over at the second demon, raising an eyebrow towards Alec for answers as Zeref pushed past him. The demon emperor didn't have time to listen to whatever excuse the shadowhunters came up with, not when he needed to focus on one task at a time. If he thought any deeper about what he was doing, Zeref had a feeling he would back down once more and simply fight to defend, rather than to kill.

The Fairy Tail wizards were relaxing, watching some form of moving image on the black box Zeref had seen before. Pictures were on the screen, and it was producing some form of sound, but the demon had little interest in learning more about it. "Natsu, it is good to see you are still here," Zeref smiled over at the pink-haired wizard.

The dragon slayer shrugged, not looking too concerned. "Yeah, of course we're still here. When are we going to go out and fight that monster of yours, though? It's getting boring here, and that Marvin guy won't stop trying to get me to wear his clothes," he insisted.

Zeref smiled in amusement, only just managing to imagine the wizard covered in glitter like the warlock that greeted them before. From the doorway, Magnus seemed to have heard that comment, however. "Marvin? Since when have I ever even looked like a Marvin?" the warlock demanded. "I am the MAGNIFICENT MAGNUS BANE, get that through your head!"

This time, the demon actually chuckled at the warlock's irritation, while Natsu just shrugged and returned his gaze to the television. "Natsu…have you told your friends about Igneel?" Zeref asked after a few moments, unsure if the wizards at least had some knowledge of the demon who raised the boy.

Natsu blinked in surprise, jumping to his feet with narrowed eyes. "Igneel? You know Igneel?" he demanded, rushing closer to the demon emperor and surprising him by grabbing Zeref's shirt and kneeling close to his face. "Where is he? Tell me where you saw him!"

Gray sighed, grabbing Natsu by his scarf and pulling him back from Zeref ever so slightly. "Cool it, flame brain, he isn't going to tell you anything if you choke him to death."

Erza stepped forward as well, crossing her arms over her chest as she observed them. "You know of Natsu's father? I am rather surprised, I was not aware that anyone had seen a dragon in centuries."

Lucy was watching as well, her brown eyes wide as she observed them from the couch. When no one else made another comment, Zeref smiled over at Natsu, nodding in response to the dragon slayer's first question. "Yes, I know Igneel. In fact, he is here to—" Zeref began, but that was all he managed to get out before the dragon slayer charged forward, shoving Zeref aside in his rush for the door.

"Why didn't you say so sooner? Igneel, come face me! I need you to tell me where the hell you've been all these years!" Natsu shouted, while Zeref watched in a daze. The door was pulled open, revealing the others waiting to come inside. Upon spotting Igneel, the boy's face lit up, a grin revealing small fangs in his mouth as he tackled the _dragonidae_ on sight.

Igneel seemed a bit uncomfortable, growling gently as he shoved the boy back into the building. The others walked inside, being careful to give Igneel and Natsu some room as the demon entered the apartment. "Natsu, it has been a long time," Igneel stated, while the dragon slayer grinned over at him. He slung his arm around Igneel's neck, pulling the demon to his side.

"Sure it has! Come on, I've gotta show you how strong I've gotten. I bet even you can't beat me now, Igneel, not with the power of my—" Natsu began, but Zeref grabbed the dragon slayer's arm and shook his head.

The black haired demon really should have seen this coming, considering Natsu's personality. "Natsu, if you begin a battle in this place, you will destroy it. I do not think our host would be too pleased if you did such a thing."

Magnus nodded in agreement, snapping his fingers and separating Natsu from the demon with a shower of blue sparks. "Hey!" Natsu complained, pouting as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I haven't even gotten to ask Igneel why he left, you can't just teleport me away like that."

The warlock raised an eyebrow at the boy, leaning back as he sat down in the chair in the living room. "This is my house, I have every right to do what I want with anything inside. Besides, keeping you apart seems to be in the best interests of everyone here, especially if you're going to start throwing fire around again."

Zeref wondered just when Natsu had began fighting here, before realizing he probably did not want to know. "Natsu…didn't you say your father was a dragon?" Lucy asked from her spot on the couch, eyeing Igneel closely. Her friend nodded, glancing over at her with a frown. "Well, I hate yo break it to you…but this…I don't think Igneel's a dragon," she said at last.

Erza nodded in agreement, scrutinizing Igneel. "Indeed, he seems like a demon to me. In fact, I recall seeing one just like this quite some time ago. Do you not remember the job we took a few years ago, to slay the demon Zirconis that was traumatizing Crocus? This one is just like Zirconis…only a different color."

Igneel nodded, eyeing the wizards warily. "You are correct, young wizards. I am a _dragonidae,_ a race of demons known to resemble dragons. Even so, I came to finish Natsu's training the moment I heard that Acnologia was coming to attack the realm he was now living in."

Zeref sat down on the couch next to Lucy, watching Jocelyn move towards Magnus with Clary in her arms. She was whispering to him, likely trying to get the warlock's help in healing her, but Zeref had little concern for them. Before long, she walked off with Magnus and Luke, taking Clary with her.

"See, this is why I was telling you that secrets are a bad idea. My father kept secrets from me when I grew up, a ton of them, and I ended up hating him for it," Jace commented, shaking his head.

The demon emperor smiled at him, raising an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, then so be it. If Natsu hates me, it will only help him finish the destiny I gave him."

Lucy turned towards him, her brown eyes worried as she focused on Zeref. "Wait, is this about that book again? Don't tell me you plan on…killing Natsu with it…" she whispered, shuddering slightly.

The demon emperor was about to reply, before an idea occurred to him. Instead of speaking, he pulled out the old book and held it in his hands. Flipping through the pages, the demon began to wonder if he could pull it off. Balance was key, and at the moment, the world was imbalanced. With Natsu's resurrection, a life was still owed to the light. "Maybe…it might work…" Zeref whispered, his eyes wide as he slammed it shut.

The others flinched at the noise, their eyes wide as they misinterpreted Zeref's response. The demon found a sword pointed at his throat, the scarlet haired wizard glaring at him with ferocity in her expression. "I shall not let you succeed, you monster. Natsu is our comrade, and Fairy Tail protects our own."

"Yes, your guild does just that." Zeref stated calmly, his hand touching the necklace at the base of his throat. "It is time I learned that lesson and did the same. If the angels will not claim the life owed to them, then I shall claim it for them. Balance will be preserved, and I know exactly who it is I need to bring back."

 **Happy Easter everyone! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	18. The Call of Blood

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or TMI

Clary didn't know where she was or what was happening. The last thing she remembered was fighting the _scorpio,_ and then passing out. Ever since then, she'd been in this strange place. It was dark, no sun shining in the sky. The ground was ashen, devoid of life. In any direction, it appeared to be nothing but mountains and dry dirt on the ground, except for the strange place just next to her. Rocks had been stacked and melded together, forming what appeared to be a house of some kind. Even so, a massive hole had torn through the creation, and overall, it seemed to be falling apart.

"Hello?" Clary called out, walking inside. It wasn't much more interesting than the place outside. More rocks covered the floor, which Clary kicked around for something to do. A large boulder seemed to rest in the corner, and piled next to it were musty, wrinkled old books. Clary knelt down by them, flipping open one of the pages only to discover she didn't understand a thing written on them.

Something felt ominous about this place; the lifelessness did not seem to be natural. Clary stepped over the pile of rocks within, gazing outside and seeing the remnants of once living plants. Wilted weeds surrounded the house, brown and dead like the rest of this realm.

Clary turned around, wondering what she was supposed to be doing here. She jumped back in surprise, her green eyes wide at the sight of a man that had not been here before. He was old, incredibly old, with long white hair and a beard. His eyes were black and his face was wrinkled, but something about him seemed kind. "I did not expect to see a stranger here. Only those of his blood can enter," he commented, frowning at Clary.

The shadowhunter didn't know what to say, slowly taking in a deep breath as she focused on the man. "I…who are you? Where are we?" she asked, uncertain about anything at the moment.

The man smiled at her, leaning forward. "I am August, though I suppose no one recognizes me these days. I cannot remember the last time I had a visitor…then again, I suppose neither of us are truly here. Our spirits are simply passing through, drawn to this place through our blood, and our connection to him."

Clary was lost, unable to figure out what he was talking about. The man saw her frown, the way she observed him warily, and sighed. "Just how are you related to him? I may be his father, but I was unaware that we had any other kin," he inquired

Her mind was blank, trying to figure out if she had ever even heard of an August from anyone she knew. "I…I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about. Can you just help me figure out how to get out of here?"

August's eyes were distant, his face sad as he gazed at his lap. "I cannot help anyone, not anymore," he stated darkly, before shaking his head and turning towards the red-head. "Regardless, I still cannot satisfy my need for knowledge. Just how do you know Zeref?"

The image of the black haired demon flashed in Clary's mind, surprised to hear his name mentioned in this place. "Zeref? He's…well, he wanted our help to defeat a demon called Acnologia."

The old man frowned, gazing down at his hands. "I see. First, he must learn to balance out the light if he ever hopes to succeed. I could not manage to create creatures of such dark strength in my time, afraid of what it would do when I balanced out the angels of the light. Instead, I imbued Zeref with my power, my one and only son, and passed the problem to him. He was such a bright boy, always learning and wanting to be good…he was far too gentle to possess the power I gave him."

Clary frowned, unsure of what to say. This man claimed to be Zeref's father, but there was so much sadness in his gaze as he spoke of the past. "I destroyed my only son…forced him into a destiny of destruction and sorrow when he was meant to be on the path to the light. In the end, I sacrificed myself to let him stay on his light path for just a brief moment longer, but I think it only made matters worse for him."

Clary sat down next to him on the ground, leaning back against one of the stone walls of the mock house. "Well, he isn't all that bad. I mean, Zeref isn't all that happy, nor is he all that friendly, but there is someone he cares about. She's sweet, a little childish and innocent, but brilliant and caring at the same time. She compliments him, brightening his mood whenever she's around I think."

August nodded, looking pleased. "I take it you are their daughter then?"

She jerked back, her eyes wide as she let out a laugh. "No, as far as I know, they don't have kids. They keep saying it's complicated…I mean, I guess I can kind of see it," Clary commented, thinking about it. "He's a demon, and she's an angel. I don't think it was ever meant to be."

The man stroked his beard, thoughtfully gazing out the open wall of this place. "If only he knew the truth…I always told him he was a demon, trying to convince him of his destined dark path. It was the cruelest lie I have ever told, and in the end, I convinced him that it was real," August stated. "My son, the child of an angel and a mortal, was powerful enough without my added experimentation. Still, I wanted to know more, to know if I could grant a mortal immortality, to see if my power could be passed on to someone else. I held no one else in high enough regard to grant my gifts to, thus my son was the one who gained my own burden, the destiny to always create lives on both sides of the spectrum."

The shadowhunter turned towards August, her eyes wide. "Wait, you're saying that Zeref _isn't_ a demon?"

August nodded, turning towards her with a small smile. "Indeed, and it appears as if he isn't alone either. Tell me, do you think it is possible to take away the darkness that lies in his heart?"

Smiling, Clary pressed her hand over his. "I'll find a way, August. He deserves to be happy, after everything he's gone through," she stated. "I don't know all of the details, but I know it was painful, losing everyone he cared about to Acnologia."

The angel closed his eyes, his head dropping to his chest. "Please, tell me how you are related. I've stated it before, only those of Zeref's blood are allowed to enter his realm, even in spirit."

Glancing at her hands, Clary began to wonder the same thing. Zeref wasn't a demon, but that didn't mean his blood ran in her veins. Nothing had happened that would have given that to her, yet for some reason, she felt as if August was right. Her body felt warm, too warm for her usual self. The heat in her veins was not normal, and she didn't know where it had come from.

August noted her silence, sighing as he leaned back. "Even you do not know, it seems," he whispered. "Be careful not to learn it too late, my child. I came to understand how much I cared for my child too late, when I was already losing hold of my body. The darkness swallowed me hole, balancing out the light I had created in one swift action just as I began to realize that I could not force Zeref down a path he did not want. Please, help him destroy that darkness, Clary, the darkness that has possessed my body and destroys everything in its path."

The shadowhunter was alarmed, seeing the man's eyes wide as he clutched her hand tightly in his own. "What…I don't understand…I don't even know how to leave…" she mumbled, leaning back slightly.

August shook his head, pulling her back towards him. "No! You will learn, blood calls to blood. Call for him, and he shall answer you. Promise me first, promise you will stop the monster I've become. Destroy Acnologia, no matter what it takes."

Her green eyes froze, locking on the cold, black gaze in front of her. This man, this former angel was just the spirit of a man who was trapped by the backlash of his own magic. "You…you became…Acnologia? I thought…Zeref said he created you…" she mumbled, trailing off.

The angel nodded, leaning over the girl and gazing into her eyes. "That is correct, Zeref blames himself. He convinced himself that by not doing as I requested, I was forced to balance out the light created with my own life. That is why I must be destroyed, to end the guilt and sorrow in his life. For my son, for the one I destroyed, I shall sacrifice everything to bring back what has been lost."

Slowly, the shadowhunter began to nod. All of Zeref's words, the way he seemed so distant and unsure of their ability to slay Acnologia, it made so much more sense now. The demon was his father, a man who had once been an angel guiding Zeref down a path he never wanted to see. "I will…I won't let you destroy him, August."

The angel smiled at her, and Clary was surprised at how it changed his face. Sunlight seemed to shine through him, brightening his eyes and his entire face. The man seemed to fade away, nodding towards Clary as he blew away with the wind. She was left standing alone in the stone house, unsure of where she was or what to do next.

There was nothing to do in this place, filled with nothing but rocks and unreadable books. Clary didn't even see stars in the sky, and she ended up sitting on top of the large boulder in the house, frowning as she stared at the ceiling. August had said that blood would call to blood, but she didn't even know what that meant.

Glancing down at her arms, Clary felt the warmth flowing within them. Was this what he was talking about, the feeling she felt deep in her veins? Hesitantly, she picked up one of the loose rocks. Holding it in her palm, she found a sharp edge on it and dragged it slowly across her wrists. She gasped slightly at the pain, seeing blood pool on her arm as she gazed upward. "Zeref? Is this how it works?" she questioned.

Nothing happened, leaving her sighing and dropping her arm into her lap. The blood dripped onto the rock floor, but Clary frowned as she noticed no marks being made. Maybe August was right and she wasn't really in this place. Her entire body was just her imagination, tethering herself to something while she was here. "Damn it, now what?"

Clary closed her eyes, leaning back as she tried to focus on the flow of blood from her arm. She just had to try harder, call him again to get a response. "Zeref, you better answer me this time. I'm sick and tired of all the mysteries, I just want something to work for a change!"

She shouted this time, her words echoing around her for a moment. Strangely, she felt something snap within her, a chord forming that made her gasp in shock. A tether, binding her to something strange. She could feel thoughts of some kind, a voice that did not belong to her within her own head. _Wait…this hasn't happened since….August?_

Clary hesitated, recognizing the name and realizing what Zeref thought. Apparently, the angel had spoken with Zeref just like this before."Uh, not quite? I'm not really sure how this works…hell, I don't even know where I'm at," Clary replied, her voice strangely loud in the silent room.

 _Clary?_ Came the shocked response. His thoughts were somewhat guarded now, blocked from her for a moment as she sat in silence. _This isn't possible, you are unconscious._

The shadowhunter frowned, nearly laughing at her own situation. "Yeah, that makes a bit more sense. This all seemed a bit strange, so of course it's a dream," she commented, shaking her head. The demon attack, it must have taken a lot out of her. Now, she was having some crazy dream. All of this would fade away and she would open her eyes, asleep in either her bed or the alley depending on how much time had passed.

The demon seemed to pause again, hesitation in his own thoughts. _No…it is more than a simple dream. Your body and spirit have separated. Just where are you?_

"Some freaky rock house in the middle of no where. This place is wrecked too, I still don't get who could have broken down a solid, stone wall," Clary commented, hopping to her feet and inspecting the damage again.

She felt as if something was poking around in her mind, making her frown as she gazed around the room. _That place…how are you there? No wait, I gave you…I see._ Zeref seemed to have figured something out, but Clary was lost. _You are not meant to be there, Clary. Demons may not roam that realm, but it is not created to sustain normal life._

The shadowhunter had figured that out the moment she arrived. "No duh, that's kind of obvious," Clary responded, glancing around the room. "Someone told me I could call out to you, and that you'd be able to get me out of here."

 _Someone?_ Zeref asked, confusion in his tone.

The shadowhunter hesitated, unsure of how much to tell him. "Yeah…he was…strange, but nice," she said after a few moments. Tears nearly sprung to her eyes, surprising her as she thought about what August told her. She didn't even know the guy all that well, but knowing what happened was enough to make her chest hurt. "I'm sorry, I think you're right. I shouldn't be here, I didn't even want to come in the first place."

There was another pause, while Clary wondered what to do. _I'm glad you've learned your lesson. I did not realize that having my blood in your system, even temporarily, would grant you access to my realm. Give me just a moment, I shall bring you back soon._

Clary frowned, unsure of just what he meant. It couldn't be that simple, leaving this place. "Didn't you say something about being separated from my body? Zeref, just what is going on?" Clary demanded, unsure of where to look to talk to him.

The man's thoughts were blocked from her, however, leaving her scowling in annoyance. The link was still there, giving her almost a hum of his thoughts, but it wasn't enough to hear anything clearly. Instead, Clary almost got blurred images, like an unfocused camera shooting pictures of some room in another place.

After a few moments of just waiting for something to happen, Clary had enough. "Come on, at least tell me something!" she demanded. "I am not in the mood to be stranded in some abandoned realm, just get me back already!"

Her shouts echoed around her, making Clary shudder slightly as she realized just how empty this place was. _You are getting rather annoying. I am finding myself quite upset with the person who told you how to do this._

Clary smiled at his thoughts, proud to have gotten a reaction from Zeref. "Yeah, well, I'm not all that pleased with you either," she insisted. "I mean, having an out-of-body experience is cool to watch in movies, but experiencing it? Not so much."

Zeref's mild confusion was apparent through their link, making Clary wonder just how long it had been since he came to her world. _It is not entirely unexpected for you to be going through this. Since your body could not eliminate the taint of my blood inside of it, your spirit fled for protection in the only way it knew how. The only dilemma at this point is convincing your spirit that there is no danger…at least, not with the venom purified in your system._

Clary glanced down at her hands, unsure of what to do. "Well, I already know that. I didn't even realize I was in danger in the first place!" she shouted out, pausing for a moment with a frown. "Wait a second…just how did your blood get into my system in the first place?"

There was a brief moment of silence before the shadowhunter shook her head, pacing the room instead of sitting still. "You know what? Never mind, I don't think I want to know."

More silence filled her time. Clary didn't know if she had been here for minutes, hours, or even days, but she did know it was incredibly boring. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks filled her life, leaving her bored and tossing them around for at least some form of entertainment. "Can't you just use this connection to drag me out of here?" she asked after she decided she couldn't take it anymore.

 _It does not work like that. This is telepathy, a type of magic that allows people to communicate mentally, rather than verbally. It is quite useful when a large distance separates two individuals, as it does now. To be honest, I did not think you had learned enough to use this magic, considering you only just received Mavis' blessing. In fact, I thought you appeared to be specializing in Picto Magic…_

Clary frowned, sitting around on the ground in Zeref's house. She was using the boulder as a backrest, her legs stretched out in front of her as she scratched her arm. "That doesn't make sense. August didn't say anything about magic…" she began, before realizing just what she had said.

Zeref's mind had gone blank, something Clary could sense even with whatever blocking he was doing. That name had triggered something in him, and Clary could only imagine how he was feeling. _August? The man who told you how to do this was August? That's…it doesn't…_

Clary sighed, letting her arms fall into her lap as she leaned back against the rock, her head tilting up towards the ceiling. "Yeah, it was August. He said he was only here 'in spirit' too, just like me," she commented. "The guy was weird, he told me 'blood calls to blood' and that was why I would be able to talk to you."

There was a brief pause from Zeref, before the man seemed to mentally sigh towards her. _I see. Clary, I would advise against speaking much about August. I do not react well to my memories of him,_ he told her, before Clary felt something strange. There was almost a tugging sensation around her, making her stare around the place in alarm. _Even so, this time it served you well. August always was much wiser than me, and his words ring true. It seems as if my blood has had more of a permanent effect on you than I imagined. I can feel it…the blood in your veins linking you to myself…in the end, it is exactly as he stated._

Clary didn't quite understand it, but so long as it got her out of this place, she didn't care. Her body appeared to be lifting from the ground, her eyes shutting as the tugging sensation became stronger. It was almost painful, the sensation of being ripped away from this place with a sudden force. Clary thought that this was how dust felt like when the vacuum cleaner was used, unable to resist the pull that forced it out of its deep rooted home in the carpet. Before long, she had vanished from this realm, returning to her home and waving goodbye to the barren land Zeref called home.

 **And summer is here, so we should be having more frequent updates now! I'm really pushing myself to stay on top of most of my stories for the next few months, so I really hope I can manage to keep up on it. There is an estimated update schedule on my profile once more for most of my stories, so if you want to know when to expect the next chapter, feel free to check it out. Otherwise, please leave a review with your feedback on the story!**


	19. Darkening Horizon

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instrumenst

Feeling a bit dazed, Clary's eyes flickered open. This time, she was in slightly more familiar surroundings. She was lying down in a bed, white blankets draped over her body in a room she had not seen before. The only reason it was more comforting than the rock house was attributed to the sunlight flickering in through the window, a sign that she had returned home at some point.

In a chair next to the bed, Zeref sat. The black haired boy was frowning, observing Clary in silence as he rubbed his thumb over his wrist. The shadowhunter could see a bit of dark red there, a sign that he had been injured from something before now. "It appears to have worked," he commented, his gaze narrowing over at her. "I still do not know what effect this will have on you…perhaps I made a mistake when I gave you my blood."

Clary smiled at him, shaking her head as she sat up. "No, it was fine. I mean, you had a good reason to do it, and in the end, everything turned out alright." Clary raised her hand to her head, frowning slightly as she glanced over at Zeref. The link had vanished now, but there was still a warmth in her body that hadn't been there before. She felt as if she was far more aware of his presence than ever before, and for some reason, Clary felt like she could find the man regardless of where he went at this point.

Zeref frowned as well, glancing at his own arm. "You sense it as well. It appears as if you and I are linked. I cannot say if it is permanent or temporary, nor do I know of its cause," he stated. "It is quite disturbing, to think that I am linked in such a manner to a shadowhunter."

The shadowhunter shook her head, dropping her hand as the door to the room opened. "Clary! By the angel, I was beginning to think you'd never wake up," Jace stated, rushing to her side. Clary was a bit startled when he pressed his lips against hers, holding her close to his body. The red-head felt her body melt against his, her eyes drifting shut for a moment before Jace pulled back. "I've missed you. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to kill this idiot for putting you through all of this. Not even Magnus could figure out what was wrong with you."

Zeref frowned, leaning back in his seat. "I informed you that her spirit had separated from her body," he commented. "I do not see why the warlock's opinion was needed, considering he could not determine what had occurred to the girl."

Jace glared at him, taking a seat next to Clary on her bed. "Yeah, well I trust him. I don't trust you," he saod, while Zeref's black eyes drifted towards Clary instead.

"Of course. It is only natural, for a shadowhunter to distrust me," he responded. "It appears as if Clary is the only one different. She, at least, does not reject me."

The red-head shrugged, glancing over at him. "Mavis doesn't either, you know," she said, seeing Zeref blink at her in surprise. "I mean, she's cute, sweet, innocent…." She trailed off as Zeref's eyes began to narrow at her.

"I am growing tired of these insinuations I keep hearing," Zeref growled, while Jace glanced between the two of them with wide eyes.

"Wait…are you seriously telling me a _demon_ has feelings for an _angel?_ That's just…repulsive," Jace insisted, while Clary smacked his arm. The blond rolled his eyes at her, glancing over at Zeref as he leaned back against the pillows on the bed. "No offense, by the way. There isn't anything wrong with being in love…or being a demon…oh, wait, my mistake. Demons are the ones responsible for killing entire realms, so I guess there _is_ a problem."

Clary glared at him, shaking her head as she focused on Zeref again. "Look, you keep hearing them for a reason, Zeref. You care for her…and I can see that she cares about you too. Just…keep that in mind, okay? Don't make her upset by going back on your plan. She wouldn't want you to die because you couldn't bring yourself to hurt Acnologia."

The boy's black eyes drifted shut, his hands stiff and still by his sides. "August told you of that, did he?" he stated quietly, his head slowly tilting downwards towards the ground. "In the end, it makes no difference. You have only proven my theory possible, when you spotted his presence in Alvarez."

Clary frowned, unsure of what this theory was. Jace's hand had drifted over to wrap around her shoulders. "Oh, right, you've been gone for so long that you haven't heard of Zeref's _brilliant_ idea. He thinks we should just let Acnologia come, and that he can just magic away our problems with some book he's writing," he stated, his disbelief clearly heard through his tone.

"It is…complicated, to say the least." Zeref commented, glancing over towards the desk next to him. Clary noticed the notebook resting there, a pen placed on top of the paper that was half-filled with ink. The words were indecipherable to her, but she recognized the lettering. It matched the books from Zeref's home, the place she had been in while her body remained unconscious.

"Well, I'm not for that plan of yours." Clary said after a few moments, watching the demon emperor narrow his eyes at her. "Someone told me recently not to let you back down, Zeref. Acnologia has to be killed, no matter what you think."

Zeref leaned forward, a dark smile on his face. "Is that truly what he told you to do?" he mused, chuckling under his breath. "It appears as if I have finally discovered something he is not aware of, a magic he has not mastered. I shall stop Acnologia, Clary, and in doing so, I shall bring him back. Balance must be preserved, and at the moment, the light is still owed a life."

"And this is where he loses me." Jace commented, closing his eyes as he released a long sigh. "All of this babbling nonsense about balance and light…it just gives me a headache. Can't we just kill the demon and call it good?"

Zeref gazed over at Jace, frowning slightly. "To think…you look so much like him, yet you remind me of myself with those words." Clary turned towards Jace as well, wondering just what Zeref was talking about. "I once ignored the advice of a good friend, one who told me that balance must always be preserved. I refused to perform my job, letting the darkness be owed a vast amount of life as the light's warriors grew stronger. In the end, my refusal to act resulted in the loss of my dearest friend."

Jace was watching Zeref, his eyes widening at the demon emperor's claim. "That…but, how?"

Clary understood, turning back towards Jace. "He paid the price, by becoming the darkness that balanced out his own creations," she stated, turning towards Zeref. "An angel, the first to have ever been born, gave life to this world. In the end, he became Acnologia, to protect the one person he cared about more than anyone in the world. Zeref, August told me that's all he wants. He doesn't need to live on, he just wants to free you from the pain you've been put through because of his own actions."

Jace watched them with a frown, unaware of how Clary had learned quite so much about the demon that had been working with them. "You've been asleep for nearly a week, Clary. There is no time to make a plan of attack, not anymore. Even Mavis knows, the barrier between realms has nearly vanished. Demons roam the streets in broad daylight, and even the humans have learned of their existence. Beyond the walls of this warlock's home is nothing but panic and chaos, a world realizing it is on the brink of death. Just what do you have in mind to stop this, shadowhunter?" Zeref questioned.

Clary's eyes were wide, staring at Jace in disbelief. The other shadowhunter had a grimace on his face, glancing out the window instead of at them. "Damn it, Zeref, Clary doesn't need this right now. She needs rest. Now all she's gonna want to do is rush off and fight," he commented, glancing over at her. "Alec and Izzy are out right now, trying to help manage it, but things aren't looking good."

Things had really fallen then, in such a short period of time. "What about the others? The people from Magnolia, they can help."

"Perhaps Natsu would have been capable of such a thing, however, he and his companions also find themselves fighting to keep lesser demons off the streets." Zeref replied, raising an eyebrow at Clary to challenge her for another idea. She was panicking, out of ideas and out of time to stop this from happening. If she didn't, Luke, Mom, and all of her friends would die, but there was no one else to turn to, no where else to go for help.

The shadowhunter stared at her hands, frowning at the burning in her veins. Had she gained anything more from this? Maybe she was stronger, with Zeref's blood in her body. "I…I could try—" she began, but Zeref rolled his eyes at her.

"Unlikely. You may be a shadowhunter, but Acnologia only has to see your fighting style once to understand all of your weaknesses. It is one piece of his former self that he has managed to retain, the endless pool of knowledge guarded in the cage of his mind," Zeref explained.

"And this is how he convinced us to go along with it," Jace added at last, glancing over at Clary who was lost about what to say next. She felt Jace rub her upper back, his eyes worried as he focused on her. "Look, none of us want to do this, but we really are out of options. We can't fight, our numbers are spread too thin. We can't run, not when we don't have another home to go to. Our only option is to try…whatever hell this magic is of Zeref's and hope it succeeds."

Clary hesitated, glancing over at Zeref before taking a deep breath and trying for it. "What about the angels?" she asked, watching the boy's scowl deepen. "They can fight back against Acnologia, and I think you might even be able to learn something from them."

"No, I will not risk Mavis' freedom to stop this monster. She has spent far too much time in their realm already, imprisoned by their customs and her own husband," Zeref stated darkly.

Clary nodded, glancing down at her own lap. "Do you know anything about them? Maybe you could use their own skills to attack…fight like an angel against—"

"Enough, this is foolish nonsense. I am a demon, even if I did understand—"

"No, you're not!" Clary shouted, cutting him off just as he did to her. Zeref blinked, his eyes wide at her outburst. "You are August's son. Was he a demon?"

Zeref glanced away from her, his eyes closing as he took an unsteady breath. "I've told you before, it is not wise to speak much about August with me. Perhaps I was his son, perhaps I was not. It is not entirely clear who my parents were, or if I even had any."

It was becoming clear just how impossible this was, trying to convince Zeref to change his mind. She felt like she understood August's struggles with the guy, seeing just how stubborn Zeref could be once he had his mind set on something. "You will not stop me, Clary, and if I discover you battling against him, I will destroy you. Do not think I will let anyone kill Acnologia, for I have my own method of dealing with that meddlesome beast."

With that, Zeref stormed out of the room, leaving Clary alone with Jace. She sighed, lying back down on the bed and turning to look into his golden eyes. "Zeref thinks Acnologia will break through tomorrow," Jace told her, his hand drifting over to play with her hair. "I still don't get him, but he's kind of grown on us. As strange as the guy is, Zeref really does seem to be fighting to help us, and…I can't really do anything against him so long as that's true."

Clary nodded, pressing her head against Jace's chest. She breathed in the scent of him, wanting to just forget about all of this mess and go back to her normal life. Training in the Institute with Izzy, hanging out at home with Mom and Luke, all of it was so much better than the overexcitement caused by these constant wars she was in lately. "Jace, I figured it out. I wasn't kidding earlier, Zeref isn't a demon."

The golden shadowhunter pressed his lips into Clary's hair. "Who cares at this point? We're all dead tomorrow anyway, so we might as well just learn to accept him. Mundanes, Downworlders, heck, even the Demons, we're all facing hell in the morning, and when it comes down to it, it won't matter what you are. We all just want a chance to live another day, to keep fighting. Differences like that don't mean much when you are facing the apocalypse."

Clary frowned, gazing out the window. It was sunset, the sky filled with brilliant orange light as she curled up against Jace. "Not the apocalypse, Jace. It's the end, the resolution of our world." she stated, frowning. "It won't be bright, not with Acnologia taking charge. It will be nothing but pure darkness…."

Jace chuckled slightly, sounding strangely amused with their hopeless prospects for the future. "Darkness' Resolution…I like it. Looks like whatever it is, it'll be our last moment together. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking we make the most of our last night alive."

Clary stared into his golden eyes, nodding slightly before pressing her lips against his. There was nothing more she needed to say, nothing that would change what was about to happen. All she wanted to do now was make sure Jace knew she loved him, and that she would stay by his side no matter what happened. Tomorrow, disaster would strike, but for tonight, she would pretend that there was nothing wrong, and that the light could still win out against the darkness they faced.

 **This story is nearing its end! I do hope you've all enjoyed thus far, and that you are excited to see the final battle with Acnologia. Clary is back, but things are hardly better back home. So, feel free to leave a review and tell me your thoughts on the story!**


	20. Rejection of Worlds

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of The Mortal Instruments or Fairy Tail

Those shadowhunters were going to get in his way, that had become quite clear to Zeref just last night. The demon emperor gazed down at the notebook in his hands, finally finished as he walked out of Magnus' apartment. Outside, demons were running rampant, chasing down any living thing they found. A few stopped and looked over at Zeref, before realizing just who it was they were looking at. Those demons quickly moved on, searching for a new target to feed on.

It was light out now, the day Zeref was certain would be the end of all of this. Acnologia would break through the barrier once and for all, and they would make their final stand. He had expected people to fight against the demon when he first arrived, but Zeref still didn't know who would succeed. Typically, there would be no doubt in his mind of Acnologia's success, but this group was strange. Their determination and hope almost made Zeref feel as if they stood a chance, though there would be casualties regardless of how hardthey fought.

Someone joined him out in the street, though Zeref didn't pause in his movement. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't want to be with them. Clary knew too much, and speaking with her was too painful. Jace simply acted like a foolish idiot, and with the same face as August, Zeref didn't want to hear another word. As a result, he had left without another word, finalizing his book overnight and now simply walking around, waiting for Acnologia to break through.

Zeref felt someone touch his arm, this time making him glance over towards his companion. "Zeref, are you sure this will work?" Mavis asked him, her green eyes worried as she frowned.

The demon emperor glanced up at the sky, scattered wisps of clouds trailing along an otherwise blue horizon. "It worked with Natsu," he stated calmly, pulling out his other book to hold too. Mavis stared at it, reaching out hesitantly. Seeing her curiosity, Zeref angled it for her to see it better, letting her run her hand across the worn surface of the Book of END. "This is all that seals away his demonic power…the power I gave to him when I brought him back to life."

Mavis frowned, glancing over into Zeref's black eyes. "So, Natsu is a demon too?" she asked. Zeref nodded, trusting her above everyone else in this place. No one could know of Natsu's true nature, not even Natsu himself. The boy would be tormented far more than ever before, tortured simply for existing, and that was something Zeref would not allow. "Well, I guess that makes sense. He does tend to go a bit overboard…with his magic, that is."

A small smile was on her face as she pulled her hand back, letting Zeref hug the book to his chest once more. "Indeed he does, though I believe that is simply due to the fact that he was raised by a demon. Igneel may have cared for the boy, but I do not think he is highly skilled in the concept of mortal manners and customs," Zeref explained, smiling slightly himself.

They kept walking for a few moments, their footfalls the only sound either of them focused on as they walked. A scream echoed in the distance, someone likely falling victim to another demon. Shadowhunters rushed past them on the street, dressed in gear and carrying glowing seraph blades in their hands. The two of them were the only image of calmness in this chaotic place, walking silently and slowly along the streets where others ran and screamed in terror.

Mavs' smile faded slightly, turning towards Zeref as she began to play with her hands in front of her. "Zeref…if something goes wrong—" she began, but Zeref gazed at her sharply, stopping and grabbing her arm as he shook his head.

"No, it will not go wrong. I told you, this has worked before, Mavis."

The angel's eyes were wide, biting her lip for a moment before speaking ."Maybe, but this time is different. He isn't dead, Zeref, not like Natsu was," she said quietly. Zeref frowned, but he did not stop her this time. "I…I don't think I can just stand by and let you die…not if Acnologia can't be stopped."

There was a sharp intake of breath as Zeref realized what she was implying. "Mavis…your promised me you would not call upon them. Are you going back on your word?" he asked, his eyes dark as he focused on her.

Mavis' green eyes remained steady, stepping closer to Zeref so that they were almost touching. "I will, in order to save you," she whispered. Zeref's head fell downward slightly, his hands slowly closing into fists by his sides. Mavis reached out to grab them, wrapping her own hands around his fists as she stared up into his face. "Even if I have to go back to that place, it'll be worth it to know that you are okay, Zeref."

The demon emperor shuddered slightly, pulling his hands free of hers. Mavis glanced downward, her hands falling to her sides as some of the light left her eyes. Zeref closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her tightly against him, breathing hard as he buried his head into her golden hair. The angel gasped in surprise, before slowly raising her arms to wrap them around his waist in return. "I won't let that happen, Mavis. Even if I have to make all of heaven my enemy, I will keep you here, where you are happy and safe."

There was a happy sigh from Mavis in response, her head turning so her cheek was pressed into Zeref's chest. "Of course you'd say that. Why am I not surprised that you'd reject an entire world just to protect your friend?" she mused.

Zeref chuckled darkly, running one of his hands through her hair gently. This was comfortable, feeling her warmth pressing into his body. Her small form seemed to fit perfectly against him, and it made him want more. Part of him disliked her use of the term 'friend', simply because Mavis was so much more to him than just that. "All worlds reject me, Mavis. It only seems fitting that I reject them in return."

The angel pulled her head back slightly, staring up at Zeref's face with a slight frown. Her eyes were wide, locked on his as she seemed to war with something within her. "I…I wish I wasn't an angel," she whispered, moisture beginning to pool in her eyes. "Then…then there would be nothing stopping me…I could just give in and let myself love you…"

Zeref sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes wide at her words. One of his hands brushed along the side of her forehead, pushing back some her her hair gently before resting on her cheek. "Your heart is your own, Mavis. No angel of heaven can tell you how you feel, and no forced marriage can mean more to you than your own heart," Zeref told her, leaning down and pressing his forehead against hers. "There is no one in any world more precious to me than you, no one I would fight harder for to protect. Regardless of the nature I was born to have, you found the light in my heart and brought it to life, Mavis. I owe you everything, and there is no doubt in my mind that I love you beyond what I ever thought I would be capable of."

Mavis' eyes went wide, her breath hitching slightly. Zeref wasn't going to force her, not when he knew that this was her decision. Her body was still pressed against his own, stretched to as tall as she could be to keep her head pressed against his own. Zeref had bent downwards, but it was still comfortable just to feel her skin pressed against his own, the small comfort of knowing how she felt was enough.

Slowly, Mavis began to close her eyes, her arms releasing him to wrap around his neck instead. She stood on her toes as she tilted her head up towards him, her forehead pulling away from his own as Zeref closed his own eyes. His hair fell down against her forehead as he pressed his lips to hers, lightly brushing over her skin as warmth flooded his body. He was a being of complete darkness, and she of light, but they were meant to be together. As Zeref pressed Mavis closer to himself, he felt as if he understood August's insistence on balance far better than ever before. Mavis and Zeref were opposites, but there was no one better to balance out their natures than each other. Together, they were strong, and neither of them was willing to lose each other.

Mavis' hand reached up to wind itself into Zeref's hair. She pressed him closer to her, making Zeref lean down even further to allow Mavis to stand flat-footed. More comfortable, the angel let her other hand drift downward, pressing against Zeref's chest as the demon emperor held her closely to him, one arm around her waist and the other pressed into the back of her head.

Slowly, Zeref pulled back. There was a smile on his face, far brighter than his usual smiles as he gazed softly down at the angel. Mavis still had her eyes closed, her arms wrapped tightly around him before she buried her head against his chest again. "Zeref…don't make me call them…I don't want to leave you…"

The demon emperor ran a hand through her hair, feeling unstoppable and bright. This was new to him, this confidence and warmth burning within him. Perhaps if he felt like this more often, he would not have found a need to end his own life. "I won't let them take you away, Mavis. If you desire to stay by my side, I will destroy anyone who seeks to take you away."

Glancing up at him, Mavis's green eyes went wide at the sight of his face. "You….you're smiling," she whispered, almost awed. The demon emperor's smile faded, confused as to why she was so stunned. Her hand touched his cheek, smiling even brighter at him than he expected. "You don't have to stop…it's nice." She paused for a moment, looking triumphant. "In fact, I finally did it! I got you to smile, after all of these centuries I accomplished my goal!"

Zeref blinked at her, lost as to what she was going on about. The angel was pleased, though, so Zeref just shook his head and enjoyed the moment. "You know…I discovered something quite interesting about how an angelic being reacts to my blood," he commented after a few moments of watching Mavis jump around cheerfully, clapping her hands together.

The angel blinked at him, returning to his side as they continued walking the streets of New York. "Really? What happened to Clary?"

Zeref frowned, closing his eyes to see if that sensation was still there. To be honest, it was quite easy to ignore, especially if he didn't wish to think of the girl. The slight energy, the hum in his blood, it was still there, directing him to her location. "It is strange, it appears as if her body actually absorbed my blood as part of herself. There is…a connection of sorts that has formed as a result. I wonder if it would do the same with you…" he mused, glancing over at Mavis.

The angel was frowning, glancing back in the direction of Magnus' house. "A connection…you aren't saying you like her too, are you?" she demanded, glaring over at Zeref.

Zeref patted her head, shaking his head as he gently kissed Mavis' forehead. "Not in the slightest. It is more of a sense of where she is, rather than an emotional connection." Mavis seemed satisfied, nodding and grabbing his hand as they walked. "I simply wondered how it would affect you, because it would allow you to always know where I am. It seemed…fitting, considering your desire to remain by my side. Should you find yourself back home, it would guide you to me the moment you were able to free yourself once more."

Mavis blinked over at him, her gaze thoughtful as she debated what she wanted to do. Zeref gave her some time to think, instead focusing on what was about to come. Acnologia should be attacking soon; this moment would end at any second and he had to be prepared. The book was written and ready to be used. The only thing left to do was find and face the demon once more.

After a few moments, Mavis began to nod. "I…if you don't mind, I think I would like that." she stated, glancing down at her feet. "As much as I want to believe we'll win…I can't help but feel as if Raziel will find me soon."

Zeref nodded, pulling his hand free from hers as he stopped walking again. Someone shoved them aside as they ran passed, a demon following not long after. Mavis and Zeref remained pressed against a nearby building, a store of some kind, as they stood on the street. "I would not have offered if I was not willing, Mavis." Zeref told her, mild amusement in his voice as he pressed his nail against his wrist. He dragged it along his skin, creating a small line of blood pooling on his arm.

Mavis stared at it, looking hesitant as Zeref offered his arm to her. Slowly, the angel grabbed his arm, pressing her mouth against it with a slight frown. Zeref felt the warmth of her mouth against his arm, reminiscent of how it felt to have her lips against his own. Despite the small pain in his wrist, it was a strangely pleasant experience, feeling the moisture and heat from Mavis' tongue brushing against his wrist briefly before she pulled back.

The angel was blushing somewhat, running her tongue across her lips to get rid of any trace of blood from her skin. Zeref let his hand drop back to his side, knowing the wound would heal in just a moment anyway. "I do not know how long it will take…I did not realize the connection until nearly a day had passed."

Mavis nodded, slowly smiling and wrapping her arms around Zeref's arm. Together, they continued walking down the street, both smiling and optimistic for the first time in centuries. "We'll get through this, Zeref. You promised we'd stay together, and I know you always keep your promises," she said, leaning onto him as they walked. Zeref nodded, closing his eyes happily, wishing this moment could last forever.

Unfortunately, that was the moment it happened. A massive surge of power came just at the edge of Zeref's senses. It was an attack, fast and brutal. Zeref didn't even have enough time to try and block it. A massive roar echoed throughout the city, the force of the sound making Zeref's body feel as if it were shaking. Acnologia was here, and it was time for their final battle to begin.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	21. Battle in Central Park

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

Zeref and Mavis were not the first ones to locate the demon. When the arrived at Central Park, a wide open space for the dragon to fly, Fairy Tail wizards had already begun fighting against it. "My magic isn't hitting this thing, what the hell is it?" Natsu complained, releasing a massive torrent of fire against the monster. Acnologia seemed to smirk in response, opening his mouth and swallowing it whole.

Zeref saw this, grimacing as he realized what had happened. August's magic, his ability to see any style of magic and know its weaknesses, had still remained strong within Acnologia. "How many of you have attacked thus far?" Zeref asked, seeing the others turn towards him. They were breathing hard, Erza with her heaven's wheel armor on, Gray shirtless, and Lucy with her whip in hand.

Lucy turned towards Zeref, frowning with wide eyes as she kept her gaze locked on the attacking demon. "All of us have tried, nothing seems to work. It's as if he knows about all of our magic already…"

Zeref nodded, stepping closer to Acnologia with a dark look on his face. Mavis was left standing next to Lucy, watching him with worry in her eyes. "I see, so you've unlocked that ability, have you Acnologia?" Zeref questioned.

The dragon seemed to smirk as he turned towards Zeref, lowering his neck so his gaze could lock on the demon emperor. "Indeed, the few remnants of the old man you once knew are fading away. Soon, I shall know all of his secrets, and with that, I will know the key to destroying you."

Zeref narrowed his eyes at Acnologia, his irises flashing red for a moment. "I am immortal, and at the moment, I hold no desire for death." Zeref stated. "You should have came for me sooner, Acnologia. Perhaps then I would not feel the need to defend myself."

"Your wizards have lost the element of surprise, and I've seen their magic. With August's copy magic, do you truly think they can stop me?" Acnologia insisted, glancing at the wizards. As if to prove his point, the dragon lashed out with his front left claw. It rushed towards Gray, who grimaced as he prepared to block it.

"Ice Make: Shield!" he shouted, ice forming in front of his body to attempt to block the attack. Acnologia's claw smashed directly through it, shattering the ice and sending Gray flying backward onto the grass below.

Zeref watched blandly, turning towards the others with a frown. "I see. Lucy, you utilize celestial magic, correct?" he asked, watching the girl nod. "And Erza, you are a requip wizard?" Erza did the same, her sword held ready to fight. "It appears as if the two of you are best suited to the task of battling against him. He may understand your magic, but unlike the others, he cannot utilize it himself."

They nodded, stepping forward despite their exhaustion. "Come on, I wanna fight too!" Natsu complained, glaring over at Zeref.

"You are free to try, however, it will be dangerous. Acnologia can counter every spell you throw at him, Natsu. Keep that in mind as you battle," Zeref warned, seeing the fire wizard grin and join his friends. "I need you to buy me some time. It will be a moment before I can implement the spell I have planned."

The set-up for the spell was complex, that was something Zeref had known from the start. This was where the risky part came in, seeing Erza charge forward with her sword in hand. Acnologia swatted it aside, barely breaking a sweat as he lunged forward to eat the wizard. Seeing his attack, Lucy lashed out with her whip. The object itself seemed to be magical, stretching as far as she needed it to and wrapping around Acnologia's jaw. Lucy pulled hard, jerking the dragon back and away from her friend.

"Open, Gate of the Bull, Taurus!" she shouted afterwords, swinging a key through the air. A massive cow seemed to appear from no where, joining the fight and swinging his axe towards the dragon. Meanwhile, Zeref knelt on the ground. A small flame was in his hand, being utilized to char the ground and draw a magic circle beneath his feet. The symbols had to be placed just right, and in the correct order. Otherwise, this would fail completely and Mavis would use her last resort once more.

Acnologia spun around towards Taurus, his claw slashing against the cow and stopping him almost immediately. "Just one attack? Oh no, we're screwed!" Lucy stated, running away when the dragon turned on her. She managed to get quite a ways, but the demon was faster. Acnologia slammed the back of his claw into her back, sending her flying into one of the few trees in the park. Lucy groaned, hunched over on the ground as Natsu moved in to try his hand against the demon.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu shouted, charging forward carelessly with flames dancing around his hand. The dragon watched with a bored look, letting the attack hit his chest. Not even phased by Natsu's flames, Acnologia picked the boy up, holding Natsu up to his face.

"You are an irritating pest, I'll admit that." Acnologia commented, smirking over at Natsu. "However, you are still weak. You will fall just as the others have. I hope you enjoy death, wizard!"

Zeref's eyes widened as he saw Natsu's predicament. He stopped drawing, biting his lip as he glanced over at the other book he had with him. Natsu could be saved…if he became a demon. END had the strength to get out of this, but at the same time, Natsu would never be the same once the demon was unleashed.

Acnologia roared in pain suddenly, snapping Zeref out of his indecision. At the dragon's feet were two new individuals, who had just rushed into the battle from the other side of the park. "Man, you weren't kidding, this really is one ugly bastard." Jace commented, having just slashed through Acnologia's leg with his seraph blade. By his side was Clary, holding her own glowing sword in hand with a wicked grin.

"I would not taunt him if I were you." Zeref warned, but it was already too late. Acnologia dropped Natsu after Jace's attack, the dragon slayer slumping over on the ground after his long fall.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted, limping over to his side and checking on his health. Acnologia was still turning towards the new fighters, the shadowhunters at his legs that were clearly angering him.

The dragon lashed out with his claws at first, attacking Jace with the sharp and lethal weapons on his own body. The golden shadowhunter jumped aside, dodging swiftly and moving to attack again with his seraph blade. "Meddlesome creatures! Always, fools getting in my way. You shall die a painful death like all the rest!" Acnologia declared.

Jace blinked, clearly not expecting the demon to speak. "Oh, so you can talk, huh?" he commented, glancing over at Clary. The red-head had circled the dragon and was now poised to strike his other hind leg. "In that case, you should know that I am not a fool! I am the most amazing person you'll ever meet, Jace Herondale!"

Zeref wanted to smack the boy. His snark was about to get himself killed. Clary took her attack, slashing out at Acnologia's uninjured back leg and making the beast roar once more. Angered and injured, the beast finally decided to take this battle seriously and end it quick. He leaned back, his jaw wide open while Zeref's eyes went wide. "Run!" he shouted, picking up both books and charging towards Lucy and Natsu on the ground. Mavis joined him, staying close to his side as he pressed his hands against both of the wizards' arms. The shadowhunters could save themselves, but these two could hardly move. Erza and Gray were a bit off to the side, so while they would feel some of the blow, the blast would not hit them head-on.

Jace and Clary blinked at him, taking his advice and rushing deeper into the park. Zeref quickly activated his magic, teleporting the four of them to the other side of the dragon as he released his breath attack. A devastating torrent of water was unleashed, instantly flooding streets and killing countless of innocent lives. Buildings were torn apart, their windows shattered from the force of the water, and in the park, trees were torn from their roots. Lights went flying away, shattering at some distant point in the city and benches were lifted into the air and tossed aside like pieces of trash.

When the breath attack ended, Zeref was left staring at a soaked battleground. Water still covered most of the area, though the force of his attack had sent the majority of it into the main city. Lingering puddles splashed as Gray and Erza rose to their feet, facing the demon with looks of fear on their faces.

Glancing over at Jace, Zeref scowled. "I told you before, it is not wise to taunt Acnologia. Much like with myself, people tend to die when he is angered."

Acnologia turned towards them, glaring harshly at the group still standing after his attack. "Well, that would have been helpful to know a bit earlier," Jace commented, grimacing at the sight of all the damage. "What now?"

Zeref glanced over towards the soaked ground. In the dirt, his burnt circle still remained, finished just before Acnologia's breath attack. "Keep him distracted. If possible, guide him towards me in just a moment," Zeref answered, moving back towards the spell he had created.

Acnologia was not going to let him do so, however. The dragon slashed his claw out towards Zeref. The surprise attack gave Zeref no time to dodge, leaving Zeref gasping as the dragon's talons slashed through his skin. Blood dripped down his body while Zeref shoved himself free of Acnologia's claw. He coughed violently, aware that the attack had pierced through his lungs. It was hard to breath; the attempts he made created hitching noises in the air as he closed his eyes.

Acnologia did not let up, either. With Zeref already wounded, he moved to slam the demon emperor into the ground. One claw stepped on Zeref, leaving him painfully broken on the grass. Bones snapped, the sound echoing around him as the dragon's weight put more stress on his body.

"Zeref!" Mavis shouted, seeing what was happening.

The demon emperor saw her face, the worry written across her expression. Grimacing, he realized he needed to break free soon. She was going to call upon Raziel if he didn't, and that would not end well for either of them. Focusing, Zeref called on his magic again, this time teleporting to his circle rather than running. Acnologia roared in anger, moving to chase after him.

Jace and Clary interfered, their seraph blades dancing around the demon. Jace jumped onto Acnologia's back, his blade piercing through the dragon's scales and imbedding itself into his back. The dragon's eyes widened, spinning around in anger as he growled towards his attacker. His motions became wild, trying to shake the shadowhunter from his back. Clary moved quickly to dodge his footsteps, rolling across the ground when she got close to becoming squished beneath Acnologia's weight.

Seeing a small opening, Clary dove underneath the dragon, slashing her blade across his abdomen and leaving the demon in even greater pain. "I shall destroy you all! No one survives after attacking me, the King of the _Dragonidae!"_ he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the city.

Taking in shaky breaths, Zeref could already feel some of his wounds healing. Blood still covered his clothes and skin, making him look far worse than he actually was. Glancing over at Acnologia, Zeref narrowed his gaze. His hands pressed into the ground, just on the edge of his circle as black lines seemed to glow, rising into the air. The notebook rested in the center of the circle, its pages flying as if a massive wind had just arrived in the park.

"I shall stop you, Acnologia. I will seal away this darkness, by bringing back the life owed to the light." Zeref promised, his gaze dark as he rose to his feet. His jeans were beginning to be affected by the spell, rustling as his hair flew around his face. Zeref's arms raised into the sky, his eyes closing as he focused his gaze upward.

The spell was enacted, ensnaring them all, but for some reason, it wasn't working. Black light circled around Acnologia, leaving the dragon roaring out into the sky on the grass. He lashed out in anger, his tail swishing on the ground and slamming into Clary. The red-head gasped, coughing as she flew back onto the ground from the attack. "Clary!" Jace shouted, rushing over to her side as he glared over at Acnologia.

"His spirit isn't there, Zeref." Mavis stated calmly, gazing over at the dragon. The demon emperor frowned, sensing the issue as well. What he had done was trying to seal away the demonic power of this beast, but the body could not find anything else to replace it with. "The spell will fail if we do not find it soon. You cannot seal away power when there is no spirit to replace it with."

Clary glanced over at them, overhearing her comment as her eyes went wide. "Zeref…blood…calls to…blood…" she mumbled, sounding weak as she clutched her stomach tightly. She may have broken a few ribs in her fall, and right now, it seemed to take most of her effort to speak.

Acnologia roared again, his pain resounding around the city as Zeref stepped closer. Picking up a fallen sword, likely one of Erza's from the wizard's attacks, Zeref dragged it across his own wrist. "Indeed, blood calls to blood. August, if you truly are of my family, heed my call and come forth," he ordered, standing calmly before the dragon.

The black light seemed to be lessening, its hold weakening on the dragon. Nothing was changing, the demon still in control of the beast writhing on the ground. Scowling, Zeref raised his arm again, this time letting his blood drip onto the beast in the grass. "August, Angel of Creation, I call upon thee! You will obey my command, and return to your body!"

There was a forcefulness to Zeref's voice, tinged with anger and malice as dark red liquid dripped onto the dragon at his feet. The light of the spell was nearly gone, swirling shadows fading away into nothing and leaving Zeref's eyes wide. The dragon's motions had stopped, but now, there was nothing to seal away this power. Stepping back, Zeref prepared for another attack.

As he did so, golden light seemed to explode from the dragon's body. Shadowhunters, wizards, angels, and demons alike stood and watched as the light blinded them from what was occurring within. It was like a beacon, shining upward into the heavens. The notebook in Zeref's magic circle seemed to glow with a darker light, shadows surrounding it and becoming runes in the air. They flew from the sky and towards the pages, appearing to fill the book in an instant before it slammed shut. The notebook looked nothing like before now transformed into a tomb quite similar to the Book of END. The only difference was in the words on the cover, Acnologia instead of END.

Where the dragon once stood, the light began to fade away. In its place was now what appeared to be a man, ancient with pure white hair flowing behind his back. He wore no shirt, but luckily, he did have a pair of tattered brown pants on as his eyes flickered open. Zeref remained still, still in disbelief as August sat up and frowned at the place around him. Black eyes met each other, leaving father and son staring at each other silently in the park, the destruction around them just a distant memory.

 **So, I am half-asleep, which likely means there are some errors in this chapter. Sorry ahead of time for them! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	22. Prince of Heaven

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or The Mortal Instruments

"Who the hell is that?" Natsu asked, frowning at the man who seemed to be confused.

August had sat up, staring around at everyone until his gaze met Zeref's. The two men did not speak, not for quite some time as they simply stared at each other in the park. "I don't know, but it looks like Zeref knows him somehow," Gray commented, rubbing his shoulder as he walked over towards them.

Jace still looked just as wary as the wizards, prepared to fight against the man that had just appeared in the park. "Yeah, I figured that much out too," he commented, glancing over at them. "What I want to know is how. I have a bad feeling about this guy still, and I'm not about to let some dangerous demon run around town destroying everything."

Zeref glanced over at Jace, focusing slightly at the familiar words. "He isn't a demon," he stated quietly. "My words before were true, August is an angel."

Said angel slowly began to rise to his feet, walking over to them before kneeling down in front of Zeref. "Perhaps I was, at one point, though I do not think I belong among my brethren anymore. My soul has been tainted by the darkness, swallowed whole due to my own mistakes."

"Wait…an angel can become a demon?" Jace asked, glancing over at Zeref. "I mean, I thought that's what fallen angels became…but Zeref gave me the impression that demons were just created when the idiot got bored and decided it was time for him to die."

August glanced over at Zeref, his eyes closing as he released a deep sigh. "That is where the majority came from, though I suppose it is my own fault that they had to be born. If I had not experimented with my own power…if I had not created the angels, demons would not have been born. In the end, I became the first demon to maintain balance in the world, to begin creating the darkness needed to battle against the light."

Zeref gazed at his own lap, his eyes shutting as well. "It was my fault. I am sorry, August, for not listening sooner."

The angel reached over, grabbing Zeref's shoulder and startling the black haired boy. "There is nothing to apologize for, my son. Perhaps it is time for you to understand, to know just why this is entirely my own fault."

Zeref frowned, unsure of what to trust. "You were never a demon to begin with, Zeref. You were born of my blood, the child of an angel and a human. To be honest, you would have likely grown to be much like your companions here, a mortal with faster reflexes and the ability to gain power from heaven's runes," August explained.

"I altered your fate, when I realized just how vital balance was to the world. Giving you my power, I expected you to balance out my creations…without realizing just the kind of suffering it would put you through. Creating darkness…it is not a pleasant responsibility, and in the end, neither of us could perform it. Thus, the universe forced me personally to pay for what I had created, and you turned into the very being I tried to create."

Zeref's eyes were wide, locked on August as his hands shook by his sides. "So…I was never a demon…all of that time, you were simply lying to me?" Zeref demanded, his gaze slowly turning into a harsh glare. "Regardless of who you are, I am not your pawn. You claim I am a demon…you claim I'm half-angel…in the end, neither is true. I am Zeref Dragneel, creator of demons and Light's Contradiction, brother of Natsu…and son of August. Anything else is superficial, simply meaningless words to give a title to something that has no name."

Natsu blinked in surprise as Zeref's comment, along with his friends. "Hold on a second, did he just say—" Gray began, glancing over at the others.

Lucy nodded, her brown eyes wide. "How is that even…I mean, you're ancient! How could you be related to Natsu?"

The demon emperor glanced over at Natsu, taking a deep breath as he reached out with his hand. His palm pressed against the boy's forehead, while Natsu just stared at him with a frown, his arms crossed over his chest. Magic coursed through Zeref's body, his energy lowering slightly as he focused on removing the block on Natsu's memory. Regardless of the pain he had endured, there was much knowledge that one could learn from the past. Zeref understood that now, knowing that despite all he had gone through, his past made him who he was.

The dragon slayer blinked a few times, rubbing his head when Zeref leaned back. "Ow! What the hell?" Natsu demanded, apparently getting a headache from the spell. He closed his eyes, grimacing as he dropped his hands. Slowly, Natsu focused once more, his eyes turning upward to Zeref. "Wait…I remember…" he whispered, shock transforming his features.

Zeref nodded, his gaze calm as tears began to pool in his eyes. "My family…my real family, they all…" he whispered.

Reaching around his neck, Zeref undid the clasp on the locket he wore. He held it out to Natsu, seeing the dragon slayer's eyes lock on it, recognition lighting his features. He snatched it away from the demon emperor, opening it up and rubbing his thumb across the picture within. "I am sorry, Natsu. I did not wish to cause you pain, however, you needed to know where you came from."

The boy nodded, slowly closing the locket and focusing on Zeref. He gave the black haired boy a slight smirk, tossing the necklace back over to him. "Right. I think I'm good. After all, I've still got my brother around, and you've always been there too," he commented. "I mean, how else would I have gotten a demon to raise me as a kid?"

Zeref chuckled slightly, patting Natsu's shoulder before turning back over to August. "You see, my name is all that matters in the end. Those that wish to label me are free to do so…however, I know who I am, and that is all I need to remain at peace."

The angel smiled at Zeref, looking pleased. His gaze flickered over to the girl behind him, seeing Mavis watching with a smile on her face as Zeref embraced the idea that he truly had a family in this world. "Yes, I can see that. It appears as if you have also come to understand the emotions that come along with having a family…the way you are truly meant to act from them," he commented. "In fact, it appears as if you have more family than I originally thought."

Zeref frowned, following his gaze over towards Mavis. The angel blushed slightly under their gazes, moving towards Zeref and burying her face in his back to hide herself from them. His smile returned at the feeling, letting Mavis wrap her arms around him as August reached over and patted her head gently. "There is nothing wrong with it, my dear. In fact, anyone who says otherwise will have to take it up with me. I do believe it is time for me to get back to my former position, after all."

Zeref raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of how they would react. Jace watched him as well, his gold eyes questioning as he turned towards August. "Former position? What the hell did you do before all of this?" Jace asked, confused.

August' black eyes seemed to light up as he smiled at the boy, shockingly bright considering their color. "I ruled over the angels, of course. As their creator, it is only fitting that I remained as their king."

Mavis blinked at him, gasping as she lifted her head to look at him over Zeref's shoulder. "King? So…if you get your position back…I can stay here?"

The man nodded, frowning as he gazed between Zeref and Mavis. The girl squealed, pleased with the response as she wrapped her arms around Zeref's neck instead, squeezing him tightly and nearly choking him in her joy. "I'm all for it then! Good luck, have fun dealing with—" she began, but at that moment a pillar of fire seemed to form in the park, shooting down from no where.

Clary watched the flames, her eyes wide with recognition. "Heavenly fire…there's an angel here…"

August turned towards the blaze, seeing the flames die down slightly to reveal a face to them. "Raziel…" Mavis whispered, her grip tightening once more around Zeref.

The black haired boy rose to his feet, pulling Mavis with him. He stared coldly at the angel, his posture protective as he placed himself between the angel and Mavis. "It appears as if August's flames were a beacon for your location." Zeref stated, watching Raziel frown and turn towards the old man.

"Demon Emperor, I see you are continuing to interfere in heaven's work," Raziel commented after a few moments, turning away from August. "Return our own, she is not one of your demons that you can simply take possession of as you see fit."

August scowled at him, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood by Zeref's side. "As I see it, she doesn't belong to you either."

Raziel gazed down at the man blandly, looking unamused with his words. "Mavis has been given to me as my wife. From the moment she was born, she has been mine. Do not think you can question the ways of heaven, mortal."

August and Zeref shared a look, before both of them smirked. Zeref's dark chuckled echoed around them, while August simply grinned up at the angel. "How amusing, to learn of these changes! I think I have much to learn yet, I must return and observe further," August exclaimed. "Let me ask you first, however. Are you planning on leaving peacefully, or will it require force to send you back?"

Raziel glared at the man, unused to having anyone challenge his power. "You truly wish to challenge the might of heaven? I shall smite you down and show you your place. In the end, I will be taking away what belongs to me, and not even the Demon Emperor will stop me."

"Uh, should we stop them?" Clary asked, whispering over to Jace off to the side.

The wizards looked equally stunned, unsure of what to do as they backed away from the upcoming battle. "I'm thinking we should just get out of their way…" Lucy stated nervously.

Jace shrugged, seeming to agree with Lucy. "It isn't our problem. If the angel kills him, that's one less problem for us to deal with."

With that, the others began to leave, though Natsu did glance back at Zeref briefly. "Yo, Zeref!" he shouted, making the man turn towards his brother. "Don't go dying on me, ya hear? I've got a lot of stuff planned for us in the future. We need to get to know each other again, after all."

Zeref smiled, turning his focus back to Raziel as the angel raised his hand to attack. "Of course, Natsu. It would take quite a bit more than a small flame to kill me."

Heavenly fire was sent flashing down upon both of them. The heat would have killed anyone on sight, but Zeref and August were prepared. They locked hands together, raising them into the sky as they both channeled their power to counter the attack. The flames halted in the sky, as if blocked by an invisible shield. Zeref could still feel their heat, seeing the brilliant hues of orange and gold flashing around him. With a small smirk, August took control of the fire itself, the flames dying out in an instant and leaving them facing a stunned angel.

"I've seen this magic before," August commented. "Though it has been a while I am still quite capable of countering your flames." August took another step forward, smiling as he stood calmly before Raziel. "In fact, you could say I am the one who created such magic. After all, I am the one who created angels in the first place."

Raziel's gaze was locked on August, his eyes flickering between him and Zeref. "Created…angels? Just who…wait, that name, that is where I know it from." Raziel stated, turning towards Zeref. "You brought back the creator of heaven? Did you truly think this would gain you anything?"

August chuckled this time, while Zeref smiled darkly. "Did you not realize that I knew him?" Zeref asked, turning his gaze up towards Raziel. "August is my father, so I suppose you could say I am the Prince of Angels."

Raziel took a step back, hesitating as he saw August nod in confirmation. "Indeed, and I do believe it is time for me to get back to work. Angels seem to have grown far too strict in my absence, forcing others away from their freedom amongst the heavens. Zeref, I shall be seeing you around, of course. Do take care, and remember, do not toy around with the balance of the world."

The black haired boy nodded, watching as August moved towards Raziel. Activating his own magic, August teleported both of them away, back to the heavens. Mavis stared up at him, her green eyes wide as she released the breath she had been holding. "Is it…is it really over?" she asked.

Zeref nodded, smiling down at her as he turned to face her. "Indeed, it is over. It appears as if you are now free to do as you wish."

Mavis smiled brightly at him, startling him when she jumped up and pressed a kiss to his lips. Zeref closed his eyes, leaning down and pulling her close for a moment. When she pulled back, she was smiling brightly at him, her grin far wider than his. "So, just what is it you want to do?" he asked her, keeping her close to him.

The angel laughed brightly, shaking her head as she grabbed his hand and began to drag Zeref deeper into the park. Mavis turned her head back, and Zeref felt himself getting lost in her bright green eyes. She gave him a big smile, and Zeref began to recognize the path they were taking to the lake, where the home of the fairies existed. "Do you even have to ask? We're going to go find some more fairies!"

Stepping into the cool water with Mavis, Zeref shook his head, smiling brightly at the moonlit sky. Regardless of the true natures of fairies, it was that first promise that led to all of this happening. He would spend an eternity with those creatures, so long as Mavis was by his side the entire time. The two of them fell back into the water, vanishing into the realm of the fairies as a new day dawned in New York. Mundanes would forget about all of this, news reporters calling it a hurricane of some kind while shadowhunters went back to their usual work. Ultimately, peace would remain, and no one would come to realize the existence of a new race among the shadow world of this realm. Those with blessed blood and magic in their veins would always be present to fight against the demons that threatened to destroy humanity. All the while, Zeref and Mavis would watch over them, peacefully dancing away their time in the home of the Fey.

 **And we've finally reached the end! I do hope you enjoyed the story. I had a lot of fun writing this crossover, even though I so rarely write with the Mortal Instruments series. For any of you who still want to see more of my writing, I do have plenty of other stories for Fairy Tail. feel free to go to my profile and check them out. Please review and tell me what you thought of the story!**


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